When it Rains
by abbylicious
Summary: Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn’t know he’s the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash’s
1. Answers with Questions

When it Rains  
  
By--abbylicious  
  
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.  
  
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.  
  
Chapter One--Answers with Questions  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Do you want another glass of iced tea?"  
  
Mitch looked up from his crossword puzzle and shook his head at the woman standing in the sliding doorway of the back porch. After accepting his reply, the woman proceeded to head towards the kitchen to refresh her own drink when Mitch abruptly called back at her.  
  
"Hey Misty, could you bring me my glasses? I forgot them on the counter," he said. Misty obliged, and continued on her way to the kitchen. Looking around her house, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride. She had made a good life for herself. Nothing too fancy, but it was undeniably home. Two floors, three bedrooms, and the most beautiful backyard anyone could ever wish for. The kitchen was her favorite part though, and not only because she had taken quite a liking to cooking in the past few years. It was the oldest part of the house, with a "servants' staircase" and a quaint old stove and sink. She had chosen yellow to accent the cheery feeling she retained from the room. Today, she kept all the windows open, for it was a perfect summer day. Warm breezes drifted lazily by, gently lifting the yellow, gingham-print curtains and ruffling Misty's hair. The sun was slowly sinking towards the trees on the distant horizon as Misty fixed herself a glass of tea with lemon and grabbed Mitch's requested glasses from the kitchen counter. She was just about to head out to the back porch when she heard something happily bounding down the stairs.  
  
"Mommy!" a little girl squealed as she almost ran into Misty.  
  
"Hi sweetheart! Oh, be careful honey, mommy's carrying her iced tea," she replied to her daughter's enthusiasm with a joyful smile. A girl of about four with a short, sensible pink dress stained with grape juice stood swaying back and forth in front of Misty. She had neglected her shoes in favor of bare feet, and her almost-black brown hair was a tangled ponytail at the back of her head. Misty's ocean blue eyes and trim body were reflected in her tiny physique. She followed her mother on her way back to the porch until Misty made a sudden stop. For several moments, she stood staring at a certain spot on the wall. The little girl looked up at her in mild alarm.  
  
"What's wrong, mommy?" she said with an adorable frown. It seemed to take hours for Misty to process her daughter's words before she finally replied.  
  
"It-it's nothing, Chiharu, go play outside, okay?" Misty managed to choke out. Chiharu obeyed, sensing something was wrong when Misty continued to stare at the wall as if she had seen a ghost. Chiharu slid open the screen door and found Mitch still seated in the wooden rocking chair trying to decipher his puzzle. He looked up, expecting Misty, and then frowned when he saw her daughter.  
  
"Chiharu, where's your mom?" he asked frankly. Despite his young age, Mitch's handsome face was taunted by a few advancing creases around his eyes and mouth. These wrinkles stood out now, as he questioned Chiharu.  
  
"She's inside, Mitch, but I think there's something wrong with her," she mumbled in shyness. Mitch's wrinkles deepened even more as he got up to investigate. He opened the door and told Chiharu to go play in the sandbox.  
  
When he stepped into the dining room, he saw Misty in the exact position that Chiharu had left her in at least five minutes ago. He approached her carefully and touched her gently on the arm.  
  
"Misty, what is it?" When she didn't reply, he looked at the spot on the wall she was concentrating on and looked back in confusion. Finally, she spoke.  
  
"What is that?" She said the words slowly and deliberately, her eyes never leaving the wall and her teeth hardly coming unclenched.  
  
"I uh, I found it in the attic with the rest of your old things when I was cleaning it out the other day," he replied, not knowing he had done anything wrong. It was only an old picture of Misty, when she was about thirteen maybe. She stood smiling and waving in a way only the young and restless could, beaming with pride as she held a Pokéball in her delicate fingers. Mitch had found it, and thought it would be nice to hang it up. Misty hardly ever talked about the time before they met, and he figured this picture would explain something.  
  
"Take it down." Misty's order abruptly ended his thoughts.  
  
"But Misty, it's just,"  
  
"I said, take it down. If you don't, you can bet I will," she said with such finality that Mitch gave up trying to explain.  
  
"Why are you always like this? You never talk to me anymore; it's like you've already given up. How is this relationship supposed to work when you're always hiding something?!?" His voice had risen dramatically with each sentence.  
  
"Shh, Chiharu will hear! Keep your voice down!"  
  
"Don't you dare tell me what to do! I'm sick of this, all of it! I've tried to make it work, but I can't do everything!"  
  
With that, Mitch slammed his fist against the door on his way upstairs. Misty, though shocked at the outburst, was not completely shaken. She knew in her heart that Mitch and she would never have gotten serious, and that this confrontation was inevitable, as it was with every man she dated. Her thoughts drifted instantly back to the photograph on the wall, though, and she gently lifted it off its hook. Holding it seemed to almost pain her as she looked past the smiling teenager to the backdrop of the picture. There lay the true cause of her shock. For, stumbling over his feet behind her, there stood the young Ash Ketchum, barely noticeable to the untrained eye. She remembered the day of the picture well. It was a captured moment of a happier time, a more carefree time. A time she needed, if not wanted, to forget. For several moments, she simply stood there, fighting hot tears as she bore holes into the frame with her eyes. Then, she finally walked up the stairs to the attic to put the photo safely back in its box, where she could keep it locked away for good.  
  
From the porch, Chiharu stood, having heard it all.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Two weeks later, Misty took Chiharu to the beach. The midsummer heat had begun to intensify, and the cool ocean water was a welcomed relief. Living just five miles from Cerulean Cape provided this excellent summer getaway. After lathering Chiharu with sun block, Misty watched carefully as she splashed her way to the water. Chiharu knew how to swim quite well; it came to her naturally, but Misty kept a constant watchful eye regardless. Lying out on the beach, trying to catch a suntan, Misty's thoughts drifted to the argument she had had with Mitch. She knew that they had been having troubles for a long while, and didn't mourn his leaving for very long. It had become almost routine for her now, meeting someone and then having almost the exact same argument every time. Sometimes, the relationships would last longer than others, but they all ended the same. Deep down, she knew the reason why she couldn't commit, but she saw this as a weakness and had never shared it with anyone.  
  
"Mommy, look! I made a castle!" Misty looked up, realizing she had been completely lost in thought. Chiharu stood by the shore, obviously proud of her accomplishment. Her long, dark hair swayed in the warm breeze, and her sparkling blue eyes shone even at this distance.  
  
God, she looks just like him, Misty couldn't help but think to herself. Every time she looked at Chiharu, she saw her father reflected in everything she did or said. There was no doubting that this was Ash's child.  
  
"That's wonderful, honey! Why don't you come up here and get some lemonade?" Misty said. Chiharu ran happily up to her mother and fell into her waiting arms. Misty held her tight, and her heart was filled with such joy that all of her sad thoughts were forgotten. Chiharu helped Misty fix two glasses of lemonade from the small cooler they had brought along and sat down underneath the oversized umbrella. As soon as she had settled, Chiharu looked at Misty with a questioning glance.  
  
"Mommy, why did Mitch have to go away?"  
  
Misty was taken off-guard by her daughter's inquiry, and looked at her with concern.  
  
"What brings that up?" she asked.  
  
Chiharu shrugged. "Was it my fault?" she asked with such a soft voice that Misty almost didn't hear her.  
  
Misty sighed and turned towards her daughter so she could look her straight in the eyes. "Chiharu, listen to me. It was not your fault. It was never your fault, and it never will be. I don't want you to think that ever again," she said gently but sincerely. Chiharu looked confused.  
  
"But I was the one who told him to go inside to see you! It was my fault you got sad."  
  
"Sweetheart, you are not the one who makes me sad. You always make me happy whenever I am sad! You are the best, most precious thing in my life, and I love you so much!" Misty hugged Chiharu tight once again as tears began to well up in her eyes.  
  
"I love you too, mommy," Chiharu replied, though her voice was somewhat muffled. For a long time, they stayed just like that, neither one wanting to leave the comfortable feeling behind. Finally, Chiharu pulled away and looked up.  
  
"Mommy," she started, "why don't I have a daddy?"  
  
If the other question had been a shock, this one was a complete bombshell. Chiharu had never asked her about her father before in her life. When Misty simply sat there with her mouth gaping, Chiharu continued.  
  
"All of my friends have daddies, even if they don't live in the same house with them. But I don't have one," she breathed. To this, Misty could think of no reply. All she could do was to hold her daughter and try to process her words. She knew that this conversation had to happen someday, but it was so sudden...  
  
Misty took a deep, troubled breath. "Well, Chiharu," and with that, she began to fill Chiharu's head with lovely pictures of a tall, dark, handsome man who had left home to become a Pokémon master.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chiharu seemed content with the story Misty had laid out for her about her father, and life continued as normal after their visit to the beach. Talking about Ash, no matter how much she fluffed the story up, had taken an emotional toll on Misty. She had to fight hard to keep a happy face, so as not to worry Chiharu.  
  
One night, Misty was carrying a worn-out Chiharu up to her bedroom. She swung open the door of Chiharu's room gently to reveal an undersea-themed oasis. Ocean blue walls, seashells, and water Pokémon were everywhere. Misty lay Chiharu down in her tiny bed and tucked a cotton sheet around her. She then proceeded to turn on a music box with a revolving light. As it played a soothing lullaby, the light spun around, creating ocean shapes on the walls. Watching Chiharu sleep in this place of security and comfort made Misty feel at ease. She often watched her daughter sleeping, admiring the amazing gift she was. During times like this, Misty was forced to remember all the good things about her past. Her life as a wandering Pokémon trainer was one she missed even today. All her water Pokémon now resided at the Cerulean City Pokémon Gym, and her battling days were over. Togepi (now a fully evolved Togetic), was the only Pokémon she kept with her, its duty resembling that of a family pet. Misty could see in its eyes the yearning for battle, but Misty just could not bring herself to start up training again. That was her old life; Chiharu was her life now. One cannot be a good mother and a devoted Pokémon trainer, or so it seemed to Misty.  
  
Just as she was about to leave, Misty heard the distant ringing of the kitchen phone. As silently as she could, she quickly rose, exited Chiharu's room and made her way downstairs, praying she would not awake.  
  
Misty got to the phone just as it was starting its fourth ring. "Hello?" she asked, trying to hide the fact that she was panting.  
  
"Good evening. Could I speak to Misty Waterflower please?" a warm, nurturing voice called out from across the line. It was oddly familiar, and Misty felt something stir within her at the sound of it.  
  
"Speaking," she said as she tried to decipher the caller's identity.  
  
There was a short pause. Misty could hear the woman's deep breath as she continued.  
  
"Misty? This is Delia Ketchum."  
  
*~*~*~*~* 


	2. Fated Night

When it Rains  
  
By--abbylicious  
  
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.  
  
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.  
  
Chapter Two--Fated Night  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Misty felt her heart stop. Breathing became difficult, and she realized she was gripping the phone so tightly that her knuckles were a boney white.  
  
"Hello? Is anyone there? Misty?" Delia Ketchum's voice seemed a thousand miles away, and all Misty could do was stand there with her mouth gaping in shock.  
  
"Uh, y-yes, I'm here," she finally managed. Again, there was a pause on the other end of the line.  
  
"Misty," Delia began, "I realize we haven't spoken in quite some time. I must tell you, I regret that, and I feel very much at fault. I understand your wishes to keep your distance, but I felt an obligation to call you tonight."  
  
After a few agonizing seconds, Misty noticed that Delia had stopped talking, probably expecting a response of some sort. As calmly as she could, Misty spoke up.  
  
"What about?" she asked, hoping Delia didn't notice the shaking in her voice.  
  
Delia thought over her words carefully. "Ash is coming home in a couple of days. I've been planning this party for weeks..." She stopped.  
  
"Oh?" was all Misty could muster.  
  
"Misty, you were, and still are, an important and influential person in his life, and in mine. I don't know what pushed you away from here, but I know I've missed you. I want a chance to get to know you again; I want to get to know your daughter."  
  
She paused again, but Misty provided no response this time. Delia went on.  
  
"It would mean a lot to me if you could come to the party. I know it would mean a lot to Ash."  
  
Misty tried hard to process the whole conversation. Delia Ketchum, a woman she hadn't heard from in almost five years, had called her completely unexpectedly. A woman she had trusted with almost everything, a woman who had never once betrayed that trust. Delia had been like a surrogate mother to her, and had done the job with ease and simplicity. Her voice alone had always made her feel better. Now, as everything came rushing back, Misty felt years of tears welling up. As her words finally began to sink in, Misty felt the urge to speak.  
  
"Um, wh-when is the party?" Misty sniffled as she tried to wipe the tears away. Delia let out the breath she had been holding during Misty's long silence.  
  
"Friday afternoon. If you can, be here at around three o'clock?"  
  
The hope in Delia's voice was almost too much to bear. Before she knew what she was doing, Misty found herself agreeing to her request. Soon after that, the entire phone call was over, and Misty sat alone at the kitchen table, overwhelmed and lost in her thoughts. Her entire life may very well have changed in those few minutes she spent on the phone. She didn't know how long she sat exactly, until she realized Chiharu's sleepy body had entered the room.  
  
"Mommy," she asked, stifling a yawn, "who was on the phone?"  
  
Misty held out her arms instinctively and Chiharu crawled into her lap. "Just an old friend, sweetie," she replied as calmly as possible. Chiharu made an indistinct noise as her eyes drooped and her head grew heavy.  
  
"What did they want?"  
  
Misty cleared her throat softly to steady her voice. "Well, she invited us to a party on Friday," she said. Chiharu livened a little at the news, but remained completely exhausted. After yawning her approval, she drifted to sleep in Misty's lap. Misty let her stay that way for a few moments before slowly and carefully carrying her back to bed for a second time that night.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Put some more Horsea on it," Chiharu said as she climbed onto the kitchen counter.  
  
"You think?" Misty asked as she added another ribbon of frosting to the three-tear cake she had created. She was now adding the finishing touches, and had decided to decorate it with all sorts of water Pokémon.  
  
"Yes. Horsea are my favorite."  
  
"I thought you liked Goldeen?"  
  
"That was way last week, mom. Horsea are the best."  
  
"I see," Misty said with a smile. She was surprised she had a steady enough hand to even draw a Ditto on her cake. The party was tomorrow, and her nerves were going crazy. Sometimes she wondered why she had ever agreed to go in the first place, other times she could barely contain her joy. She had never felt so confused.  
  
"I'm bored, mommy," Chiharu sighed. Misty chuckled.  
  
"Well, I'm almost done here. After I clean up, why don't we head into town? I've got a few things to pick up. We could get some ice cream on the way home..."  
  
Chiharu thought this was an excellent idea and went upstairs to get her shoes.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was at about two o'clock A.M. that Misty decided once and for all that going to the party was a very, very bad idea.  
  
She hadn't slept at all since heading to bed at around ten o'clock, nor did she feel the least bit tired. Nerves took care of that. What was she thinking? How on earth could she have agreed to this? There was no way she could possibly handle seeing Ash, Brock, Delia... Every time she thought about this reunion, her stomach did a complete back flip. She had imagined too many awkward situations in her mind to count. Perhaps (she hoped) Ash would be too busy accepting congratulations on his accomplishments to even notice her. Misty had to admit, Ash deserved his congratulations. After becoming a Pokémon Master at the tender age of eighteen, he had been asked to travel around the world with an elite group of other Masters to learn even more about his profession and duties. Now, after five long years away, he was finally returning home, to Pallet Town. He had sent Misty a few letters in his first months away, but she had never replied. It was too hard, too painful for her to even attempt to write. She had been in a delicate state, being pregnant, broke, and alone. Of course, Misty supposed now that she had had a choice in being alone. How different would things be if she had just told Ash about her pregnancy from the beginning? No, she told herself, it's too late for those thoughts. Besides, telling him was not an option; it never had been. How could she have done that to him? To tell him he had a child, to make him stay, to make him give up his dream? She couldn't stand to have him do that for her, if only because he felt sorry for her. She didn't want his pity; she wanted him to have what he really wanted. She really had loved him so much; she realized it now. She also realized that a baby would have ruined his life, and he never would have forgiven her for that. So, she kept it a secret, telling only those who needed to know. Her life since then had been hard, almost too much to bear at times, but that life was what got her to where she was now.  
  
Misty turned over in bed and tried to find a cool spot on her pillow. Thinking about Delia's party made her remember Ash's going-away. There had been a party that night too; a night Misty, try as she might, could never forget. After a few too many drinks, Misty had found herself unable to fight the feelings she had for Ash, and ended up paying the ultimate price. She had no idea if he had ever felt the same way, or if his mumbled "I love you" was due to the alcohol in his system. It didn't matter now. That part of her was dead, or so she made herself believe. Deep down, she knew Ash cared for her, but not in the way she needed. He was too young, too oblivious to love anyone. This fact used to torture her, but years of separation had eased the process of forgetting. Before her pregnancy, she couldn't even remember a time when she hadn't loved Ash. Then he was gone, and her life had almost completely fallen apart. If not for Delia and her sisters, Misty figured she wouldn't have been able to survive. It pained her to realize how much Ash had really meant to her, that his leaving had left her so desolate and heartbroken. Delia had urged her to tell the father of her child about her pregnancy (she still had no idea that Ash was Chiharu's father), but Misty had refused profusely. Eventually, Delia accepted that fact and concentrated on helping Misty get settled at the Cerulean Gym, where her sisters were to take care of her until Misty got back on her feet. Delia's first suggestion was that Misty stay with her, but Misty insisted this was a bad idea. After trying repeatedly to get Misty to change her mind, Delia drove her to Cerulean, left a hefty amount of money in her bank account, and, at Misty's request, went back to Pallet. That was the last time she had seen her.  
  
The fear of facing her troubled past made Misty wish tomorrow would never come. Of course she missed Delia terribly, but no matter how much Misty owed to her, the thought of breaking down all the barriers she had built around herself over the years was unthinkable. And there was no doubt in her mind that she completely lacked the strength to survive the party.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Hmm. Let me see the blue one again."  
  
Misty set down the white, short-sleeved dress she had been holding in front of her to pick up a light blue, sleeveless sundress. Her bed was littered with all sorts of outfits, with a small spot cleared for Chiharu to sit. She examined her mother's dress thoroughly, and looked up with a smile.  
  
"The blue one, mom, definitely the blue one," she finally decided.  
  
Misty looked at her reflection in the mirror. After her sleepless night, she was surprised at how good she actually looked. A little makeup would easily get rid of those dark circles under her eyes, and the blue dress accented her figure beautifully. If not for the look of impending doom written all over her, Misty supposed she would appear relatively normal.  
  
After admiring her mother's choice in clothing, Chiharu got up, left to put on her own dress, and returned with her favorite brush so Misty could fix her hair. Misty couldn't help but smile at her daughter's innocence. She knew nothing of the sordid issues of the past, only that she was going to a party and needed to look nice. Misty gently parted her hair and began to make two long French braids down her back. Chiharu had picked out a pale yellow dress embroidered with Pikachu along the bottom to wear for the occasion, and Misty secured her braids with yellow ribbons.  
  
"There you go, sweetie. Why don' t you go try to find your shoes? The yellow ones with the buckle?"  
  
Misty set off to finish getting ready while Chiharu bounded off to search the house. Sitting down in front of her vanity, Misty began to powder her face, adding just enough to cover the trouble spots. She debated whether to wear lipstick, and then set it down in favor of a clear lip balm. She didn't want to seem too dolled up. Next, she looked to her hair. She brushed it until it shone, then puzzled over what else she could do with it. Looking deep into the drawers of the vanity, she pulled out a seashell hairclip, and secured her long, fiery red locks at the back of her head. She favored pearl studs for her ears, and put on her silver charm bracelet. After rummaging around in the back of her closet, she finally pulled out a pair of simple blue sandals, which matched her dress perfectly. Again, her reflection stunned her. It seemed impossible to tell how nervous she was by her appearance alone. For this, she had never been more grateful.  
  
Misty looked towards the mess on her bed, then towards the clock on the bedside table. It was almost 2:30, and it would take them at least a half hour to get to Pallet. The mess would have to wait.  
  
"Chiharu! Sweetie, where are you?" she called as she walked downstairs. She jumped when Chiharu came running around the corner at the bottom.  
  
"I found my shoes, but I think they're broke," she said with a frown.  
  
Misty knelt down to inspect the shoes. One of the buckles had apparently snapped off. "Ok, um, why don't you go see if you can find a safety pin in the kitchen drawer?" Misty suggested as she glanced at the clock. They were definitely going to be late.  
  
After pinning Chiharu's shoe back together, carefully loading the cake into the car, and locking up the house, Misty and Chiharu found themselves on the road, heading south. Speeding slightly and watching for those annoying Officer Jennies, Misty's nerves began to intensify. The all-too-familiar scenery was enough to make her nauseous, not to mention the party site growing ever closer. It had all seemed like a dream before--saying she would come, baking the cake, getting ready. Now, everything was all too real. Despite the warm air blowing through the open car window, Misty felt cold, and goose bumps ran up her bare arms and legs. It seemed as though they had just left the house, but the "Welcome to Pallet Town" sign was already in sight. They were getting closer now, just one more turn...  
  
When she saw the house over the hill, Misty slammed on the brakes. She tried, but her foot would not move back to the accelerator. Chiharu looked up from the backseat in alarm, but Misty did not take notice. It was exactly the same as she remembered. Aside from the colorful party decorations and tables filled with food, it was as if she were viewing one of her own memories from years ago. She couldn't move, couldn't hear; she couldn't even breathe. After what seemed like an eternity, her foot slowly released the brake, and the car began to descend the hill. Finally shaking out of her trance, Misty realized the car was moving and steered away from the ditch. She spotted a makeshift parking area in the field near the house, and slowly made her way towards an empty space. After pulling the keys out of the ignition, Misty let her hands fall into her lap and stared blankly at the dashboard. She didn't notice Chiharu unbuckling herself and climbing out of the car until she appeared at the driver's side window with an expression of mixed worry and fear. Misty opened her door.  
  
"Mommy, are you okay?" Chiharu asked with more anxiety than Misty had ever seen.  
  
"I'm fine, honey," she replied, knowing she couldn't fool her, but trying nonetheless. Then, Misty took Chiharu's hand and held on for dear life. Together, they headed towards the party to find Delia.  
  
And the walls started crashing down...  
  
*~*~*~*~* 


	3. Surprise

When it Rains  
  
By--abbylicious  
  
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.  
  
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.  
  
Chapter Three--Surprise  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"...And you know, he hasn't lost a battle since then."  
  
"That's amazing."  
  
"Hmm. Oh Erika, who is that?"  
  
"I don't-wait, I think it's that girl who used to follow him around."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"You know, the scrawny one?"  
  
"She doesn't seem so scrawny anymore..."  
  
The two ladies walked away to continue their conversation as Misty came within earshot. This was unnecessary however, since the only sound Misty could hear was her own heart pounding in her ears. Subconsciously, Misty studied the faces, praying for a familiar one. In her search, she realized at once that almost all eyes present were focused on her. She could now add embarrassment to the long list of emotions she was experiencing. Chiharu's anxious tug brought her tumbling back to reality.  
  
"Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom," she said, unaware of the suspicious attention they were receiving.  
  
"Oh-okay honey, um, can you hold on for just a few more minutes?" Misty knelt down to Chiharu's level as the partygoers finally started to disperse and thought hard about her next course of action. In her anxiety, Misty had focused all of her courage and self-control on getting to the party; she really hadn't thought about what to do once she got there. Now, Chiharu's needs became the first concern, and Misty decided to start there. She led Chiharu towards the house, where the only available bathroom she knew of existed.  
  
The trek across the grass to the Ketchum household seemed to take hours, and Misty felt as if she were moving in slow motion. Finally, she found herself gripping the screen door with a sweaty palm and pulling it to one side. As she entered, her nose filled with the scent of baked goods and lemon Lysol. The memories came like a tidal wave, even though only a small portion of her life so far had been spent in the house. The soft carpet, the simple yet effective decorating techniques, and the warm feeling of the house made Misty's eyes begin to water. But Chiharu's insistent tugging made her remember the reason she was here, and Misty led the way across the room towards the bathroom.  
  
Even though it had been years since she had been in the house, Misty still knew her way around by heart. The fact that very little about the home had changed since she last saw it helped in regaining her memories. After finally uniting Chiharu with the bathroom, Misty curiously wandered down the hall. If she remembered correctly, Ash's room was right...  
  
"Here," she said aloud to herself. The door was slightly ajar, and Misty could partially see into the room. In the fading afternoon sunlight, she could just make out the forms of various Pokémon paraphernalia from the past. She couldn't help but smile and remember the times she had spent in that room, talking and laughing about nothing in particular.  
  
Misty instantly stopped herself from venturing any further into the room. How could she have even invaded so far into the house already? She only needed to take Chiharu to the bathroom and then get out of there. She had no right to go snooping around. It wasn't like her to do so, but she supposed the reason it hadn't felt wrong was because of how familiar she already was with the house. She needed to leave now, though; her welcome had definitely worn out. She could just wait patiently outside the bathroom door until Chiharu was finished. Then they could return to the party and...  
  
"Misty?"  
  
Misty froze. At once, she knew who the owner of the voice was. Her brain kept telling her body to turn around, but her heart screamed for her to run. Running would have resulted in crashing into one of Delia's carefully papered walls however, so Misty decided that her only option was to face the person behind her.  
  
"Misty? Misty, is that really you?" Delia's voice cracked as she uttered the last word and a single tear rolled slowly down her cheek.  
  
"It's me," Misty meekly replied. Her mouth went dry, and she felt a sob of her own begin to rise in her throat. Delia seemed to be a thousand feet away, and she couldn't even tell if she was still speaking. Misty felt as if she would never be able to break out of this strange state of shock until, at last, Chiharu came out of the bathroom with her hands dripping all over the floor.  
  
"Mommy, I couldn't reach the towel," she said innocently as she headed towards Misty, not noticing Delia at the other end of the hall. Chiharu's cold, wet hands shook Misty until she was able to reply to her daughter's problem.  
  
"Oh, alright honey, let me help you..." Misty's voice sounded strained and very unlike her own. She tried in vain to avoid Delia's lingering stare as she helped Chiharu back to the bathroom. The pink towel was indeed beyond Chiharu's reach, and Misty carefully dried her daughter's hands before hanging it back on its hook. Then she slowly crept out from behind the door and faced the woman standing in front of her.  
  
The silence was deadly, and both of them knew it. Misty took a deep, troubled breath and did the only logical thing she could think of.  
  
"Chiharu," she began as she brought her around to face Delia, "this is Mrs. Ketchum. Why don't you say hello?"  
  
"Hello, Mrs. Ketchup," Chiharu replied unknowingly. Misty was far too tense to appreciate her daughter's humor, but Delia managed to laugh lightheartedly in spite of herself. She knew immediately that this was Misty's little girl, and she gracefully bent down to Chiharu's height so as not to talk down to her.  
  
"You, my dear, may call me Delia," she said gently, her eyes filled with instant adoration. "Chiharu, do you like cookies?"  
  
Chiharu was eager to express her reply, but looked to seek her mother's approval before accepting. Misty barely nodded before Chiharu was trotting off with Delia towards the kitchen.  
  
"I'm sorry, we didn't mean to intrude, it's just..." Misty stumbled over her words in a struggle to find the right ones.  
  
Delia settled Chiharu with some chocolate chip cookies and milk while carrying on her conversation with Misty. "What are you talking about? You know you are always welcome in this house! I'm just so happy to see you here." She stopped and turned to look at Misty once again. Delia had aged well, never quite losing her motherly beauty and charming personality. She was still the humble saint she had always been. Her eyes sparkled with fresh tears as her arms struggled with the urge to hold Misty tight. Misty was filled with the need for her warm embrace, and no words were needed as she fell into those comforting arms. Her tears fell silently onto Delia's soft shoulder, and she felt no shame in her actions whatsoever.  
  
"There now, let me have a look at you," Delia said as she tenderly lifted Misty's chin. "My goodness... You're so beautiful, Misty!"  
  
"I'm not," she replied as she wiped the tears from her slightly red eyes. A smile was beginning to spread across her face.  
  
"Oh yes; you always have been. I can see that Chiharu has inherited that beauty of yours."  
  
Misty's smile grew wider as she gazed with Delia at Chiharu sitting at the kitchen table. She had wanted so badly for Delia to approve of Chiharu, to perhaps come to love her one day, as one might love their own grandchild...  
  
Misty cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Well, Delia, you look as ravishing as always. I don't believe you've aged a day since I last saw you."  
  
"Oh, do you want a cookie too? There's no need for flattery, dear, you only need to ask," Delia smiled back at Misty and things finally felt stable, as though no time at all had passed between the two.  
  
"Cake," Misty abruptly blurted out after a few moments of comfortable silence.  
  
"What about it?" Delia asked, confused.  
  
"I made a cake, for the party... It's in my car," Misty mumbled, feeling stupid once again.  
  
"Oh, you didn't have to make anything! That's wonderful of you, Misty. We should go get it! I'm sure it's just beautiful..." With that, Delia headed off into the backyard and Misty had no choice but to follow.  
  
The air outside was beginning to cool as the sun made it's final journey towards the distant hills, but Ash's party was just getting started. The amount of guests had almost doubled since Misty had arrived, and caterers dashed about in a mad race to set up table upon table of finger sandwiches and champagne glasses. Others were making a few last minute adjustments to the tastefully colorful decorations. Delia had obviously gone to a lot of trouble for the occasion.  
  
"Delia," Misty began as she gazed at the multitudes of people, "I don't even know most of these people. Where did they all come from?"  
  
"To tell you the truth, I don't know many of them myself. Professor Oak helped me with the guest list. We've got some Gym Leaders, all the townsfolk, and a bunch of other 'important' figures in society. It seemed foolish to me, but this apparently is a notable social event. I'm just glad Ash is finally coming home."  
  
Misty secretly thanked the heavens for the extended guest list. It would be much easier to avoid Ash with such a crowd. As the party chatter faded slightly, Misty and Delia found themselves at the backdoor of Misty's car. She unlocked it, and discovered her cake to be slightly melted, but otherwise in tact.  
  
Delia, obviously impressed with it, gasped and said, "Oh Misty, it's gorgeous! I had no idea you had so much talent!" and so on. Soon, Misty's cake was placed at the head table, and the previous cake was moved elsewhere. Misty thought it typical of Delia not to mention she had already ordered a cake, but to welcome Misty's creation so completely. It was such a simple thing, but it meant so much.  
  
"Well," Delia began, "why don't we have a seat and chat for a bit? I'll get us something to drink..."  
  
Misty felt dread rise in her chest. "Oh, um, could you excuse me for just a second? I'll be right back," she hurriedly interjected.  
  
"Of course; I'll be right over there..." But Misty was already heading towards the house. There was no way she could face Delia one-on-one so soon. They had only just been reacquainted, and Misty was suddenly feeling queasy again. She had no idea when Ash would be arriving, but it could be hours from now, and Misty felt she could not carry on a conversation for that long without approaching some uncomfortable topics.  
  
Misty closed the bathroom door behind her and looked into the mirror. She was gripping the edge of the sink tightly, though she barely noticed. A thousand different thoughts seemed to be bombarding her brain at once. Never in her life had she been so terrified and confused. She felt as though she was going to be sick again and again; imagine if she vomited at the sight of Ash's advancing figure? Oh, what was she going to do? She wanted to run away, to get as far away from this place as humanly possible. This was a stupid idea; Misty reprimanded herself to no end for coming here. One glance at Chiharu and Ash would surely know her to be his child, and then Misty's crime of concealing the truth would be exposed to every soul at the party. Delia would look at her with scorn and shame, and Ash... Oh, Ash; he would look upon her with such disgust that no amount of begging and explaining could ever make up for it. She was doomed to forever spend her life in regret, pain, and misery.  
  
Misty looked into the bright white sink to see she had made a small pool of tears on the edge. She swore under her breath at the numerous times she had cried over the past weeks. It seemed as though her former choices were finally catching up with her, and she had no choice but to face them. She was so tired of feeling sorry for herself; she only wanted to protect her daughter and the man she loved. Perhaps she had saved neither.  
  
A few minutes later, Misty was finally ready to come out of the bathroom. Her stomach no less queasy and her nerves no more at ease, she was shakily making her way back outside when she suddenly wondered where Chiharu was. She hadn't seen her since Delia had given her a snack just after the hallway incident. She was no longer in the kitchen, and Misty hadn't looked for her outside. Normally, Chiharu's absence would cause her to go into a slight panic, but her worrisome energy was spent on other things. Besides, somewhere in the bottom of her heart, Misty felt Chiharu was safe with an almost unnatural certainty.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ash Ketchum had asked Brock to drop him off away from his mother's house for one reason. He knew about the surprise party and wanted nothing more than to sneak up quietly, without being noticed. Ash was dead tired, and felt more like collapsing than partying. If he could just reach his bedroom window before anyone saw him...  
  
It was no good. Ash loved his mother too much to not let her give him the surprise. He knew this was important to her, and besides, there were people swarming around his window, preventing escape. He would just have to put up with the guests for a few hours, and then he could finally crawl into bed. Ash decided the best thing to do now was to come around the front as casually as possible and act surprised. He sighed and was starting to walk over the soft green grass when he caught a flash of yellow out of the corner of his eye. It couldn't be Pikachu, for it was perched on Ash's shoulder. No, this shape was that of a human, or more specifically, a little girl. She was standing rapt at the edge of a white fence, watching the herd of Tauros stampede past. They were, in fact, Ash's own Pokémon, which he had caught years ago. Ash approached the girl in the yellow dress with caution, so as not to startle her, and she turned around with minimal interest.  
  
"Hi there," Ash said as he looked at the mysterious girl. Something deep inside seemed to shift as his eyes met hers, something he couldn't grasp.  
  
Chiharu grinned shyly and turned her attention back to the Tauros stampede, only to find that the herd had already gone by. Her spirits fell slightly.  
  
"Do you like Pokémon?" Ash tried again. Somehow, this girl looked familiar; she was probably one of his mom's friend's kids, or perhaps a long-lost cousin. Chiharu only nodded in response to Ash's question, as she was now staring intensely at Pikachu, whose ears pricked up as if they perceived some unknown signals. Ash smiled. He already had the most important thing in common with this little girl.  
  
"What's your name?" he asked.  
  
"Chiharu," she finally spoke.  
  
"That's an interesting name. Where's your mommy and daddy, Chiharu?"  
  
"My mom's back at the party."  
  
"I see. Why don't we go and see if we can find her?"  
  
"Okay," Chiharu replied without once breaking away from Pikachu's stare. Ash sighed and vaguely wondered why Pikachu was paying such attention to her.  
  
"Are you a Pokémon trainer?" Chiharu asked with wonder.  
  
"Yes, I am. Actually, I'll let you in on a little secret."  
  
"What?" Chiharu's eyes lit up, and Ash smiled at her enthusiasm.  
  
"This party is for me. But you have to promise not to tell anyone I know. It is a surprise, right?"  
  
"Yes, but I wont tell; I promise," Chiharu swore with glee as they neared Ash's front door. Ash knocked a few times, to be polite, and then entered when no one appeared. He wandered through the empty house until finally letting Chiharu lead him out to the backyard where she knew the party really was. Just outside the screen door, Ash stopped.  
  
"So, where's your mom, Chiharu?" but he barely got to finish the question before Chiharu was letting go of his hand and rushing towards her mother.  
  
"Chiharu! There you are! Where did you wander off to?" Misty said as she bent down to inspect her daughter.  
  
"I was just over there by the fence, mommy. But I found this Pokémon trainer and he brought me back. Do you know what, mommy? This party is for him, did you know that?"  
  
Misty had stopped listening. She wasn't even sure if she was still breathing; how could she be living since this surely was a dream? She was looking into Ash's eyes, and he was looking back into hers, and in that moment the true irony of the situation hit her full force and she had to restrain herself from laughing aloud. Chiharu was shaking her, but Misty was sure even an earthquake could not bring her away from those eyes; they were frozen in time together, never to move from this point.  
  
Of course, no such prayer could be granted, and a few seconds later, the more prominent guests at the party had noticed Ash's arrival. They hurriedly gathered up their voices and delivered a belated "SURPRISE!", but the moment had passed and they had missed it entirely.  
  
Ash's expression of unabashed shock was enough to make them believe he had heard their shouting though, and he was soon swept away in a wave of adoration. Misty grabbed Chiharu's hand tightly and walked immediately towards the empty field in which her car was parked, waiting patiently for her escape...  
  
*~*~*~*~* 


	4. It Pours

When it Rains  
  
By--abbylicious  
  
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.  
  
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.  
  
Chapter Four--It Pours  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"What was that, sweetheart?" Delia asked.  
  
Ash looked back at his mother with a vacant stare. The pinch he had just deliberately performed on his arm had proven he was not dreaming. It was a silly thing to do, but then again, nothing seemed too far-fetched tonight.  
  
"Ash, darling, you really don't look well; are you sick?" Delia asked with motherly concern as she felt his forehead for a fever.  
  
"No mom, I'm...fine," he finally spoke. Delia looked no more at ease.  
  
"You look tired. How was your drive?"  
  
"Brock drove. And I'm exhausted," Ash replied as his unfocused eyes wandered. He was so tired, beyond exhaustion. His mind was blank, and yet the lingering feeling of shock remained.  
  
Delia cleared her throat gently. "Well, you must be hungry," she said with a half-hearted smile.  
  
Ash looked at her once again. She was trying so hard to make this party a success, to make him happy. He felt guilt rise up from the pit of his stomach once again. He should be surprised and alive and awake! He shouldn't be thinking about...well, other things. His mother deserved that much out of him. Get over it, have a few drinks, eat, party... He could handle that. No sweat.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
The night air had the perfect amount of coolness and warmth, and a billion stars blazed among a deep velvet sky as Misty leaned heavily against the door of her car. She was laughing softly and sadly to herself. Chiharu was standing a few feet away, watching for the random glow of Ledyba and ignoring her mother's hysteria.  
  
In her mind, Misty could picture the exact place where she had left her keys. Inside the house, on the kitchen table, just to the left of the Miltank-shaped salt and peppershakers, lay the literal "key" to her escape. Oh, how funny it seemed. A night filled with cruel irony.  
  
So what does she do now? A dilemma, that's what this is. Does she go back to the party and risk being cornered? Does she break into her own car? What good would that do? She has no clue how to hotwire a vehicle! The urge to laugh is strong once again, but Misty feels she has frightened Chiharu enough for one night. Her hands start shaking as she realizes what she has to do. She has to go back.  
  
In an instant, the humor is drained from the situation and she is left with disgusted anger. How stupid does someone have to be to forget their damn keys?!? The injustice is enough to make her slam her fist against the hood of the car hard. The dull metal is left unscathed, but Misty's hand throbs with pain. So unfair...  
  
Misty grabs Chiharu's hand firmly in her good one and starts the disgraceful journey back towards the backyard. Chiharu protests mildly, obviously confused. These happenings were beyond anything her mind could process, and she had given up trying. Adults had a strange way of acting around each other; Chiharu could not understand the games they played. She especially couldn't understand why her mother was crying yet again.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"You're drunk," Brock said nonchalantly.  
  
"I'm not!" Ash protested with a wavering motion. Brock sighed.  
  
"I suppose you're entitled to it. It is your party, after all." He could tell something was wrong; he always could. "You know, I would think you of all people would consider the consequences of drinking too much at parties," he said. Ash didn't reply. Brock took a deep breath and considered his next question. "Is she here yet?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"You know who."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Misty could see from the hill that the party was smaller than when she had left it. The easiest route to the kitchen would be down around the front, following the fence to the front door. It should be simple enough, as long as no one saw her.  
  
"Okay sweetie," Misty began as she turned to Chiharu, "you stay right here and wait for me, do you understand?" Misty gave her daughter the most serious look she could muster and prayed that Chiharu's nod was true. She would not be noticed out here in the dark, far away from the commotion of the party, as long as she stayed put.  
  
Every step Misty took made her heart rate increase a little more. If not for the hilarious chatter of the party, she was sure everyone would be able to hear her unstable, clumsy footsteps. She hoped no one could see her through the fence; it seemed like most of the guests were paying no attention whatsoever.  
  
When she finally got past the backyard, Misty allowed herself a small sigh of relief. She was almost to the front door. This nightmare was almost over.  
  
She felt a little twinge of fear when the door stuck, but a push proved it to be unlocked, as she had anticipated. The corridor inside was dark, and Misty waited silently for her eyes to adjust to the absence of light. Slowly, she crept around corners towards the kitchen. The room was bathed in moonlight, and when Misty saw the silver glint of her keys lying on the table she felt she would cry with joy for the first time in days. She picked them up and cradled the lovely saviors in her hands before quickly moving back towards the front door. She stopped herself for a moment before exiting, though, and looked back at the still, dim house. She would probably never set foot inside again.  
  
Good riddance.  
  
Misty was in no mood for reminiscent reflection. She'd had enough remembering and appreciation for one lifetime. She loved the house and she felt guilty for thinking these things, but her emotions could only withstand so much.  
  
The cool night air felt like true freedom as Misty filled her lungs with the blessed substance. She had made it; it was over. She didn't have to worry about this wretched party ever again. No more tearing herself up over the past, all she had left to do was run away with her pride and her secrets in tact...  
  
But who is that standing by the fence over there? He looks drunken and beat, but his eyes are centered on her. It takes Misty a moment to realize that she is looking back at this man; they are staring motionless at each other. Misty drops her precious keys, and the dull clink they make on the grass startles her. For a moment, Ash is afraid she will run away like she did before; he doesn't want her to run away. Please, please Misty, don't run...  
  
"I thought you left." His voice is husky and deep, no longer slurring from the alcohol. He must make her stay, he must.  
  
Misty is stunned. She begs her lips to move, to produce something resembling words. "I, I forgot my keys...," she replies unsteadily. Oh, cruel irony!  
  
Ash nods as if this is a perfectly normal response, but can think of nothing to say in return. One half of his heart is rejoicing, but the other half is breaking with the knowledge that has come into his possession. Where to go from here? There are no words to fill this silence; they are trapped in paradox.  
  
Suddenly, Misty is only a few feet away from Ash; she cannot remember how she got there. He is leaning against the fence and she can't pull her eyes away. He looks basically the same as she remembered, maybe a bit taller. He still has that boyish face, but he is much more toned than before. Misty allows herself a moment of vanity, wondering what he thinks of her distressed appearance. There are no words and all words, all needed at that exact moment.  
  
"So." It feels like an eternity before Ash finally speaks. "Where's your...um..." He cannot think how to end this sentence.  
  
"Chiharu?" Misty's voice comes out too high, making her sound small and young.  
  
"Yeah," he replies with his head down.  
  
"I made her wait on the hill, until I could..."  
  
"Finish breaking and entering?" There is a smirk in his voice. Misty imagines his expression in the dark and her heart stumbles.  
  
"The door was open," was her weak response. The humor is lost. Ash hangs his head and slowly moves away from the fence. As he does so, his arm brushes softly against Misty's hand. He hadn't realized how close they had actually been.  
  
Ash's touch is so electric Misty could have sworn it was Pikachu who had shocked her. She suddenly cannot stop a wave of new memories washing over her, destroying the sandbanks of her mind. She knows Ash can feel it too, and rapidly they are falling into the past, an involuntary and unpreventable falling...  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"What did the weatherman say this morning? What did he say? He said, and I quote, 'seventy-five percent chance for rain tonight'. And look at that sky! Not a drop. I'll tell you what I have to say about the weatherman..."  
  
Ash's explicit slur is unheard over the wild laughter of the young group surrounding him. In his hand he carries a half-empty can of beer, and at his side is a beautiful, blonde, nameless woman. Ash is obviously younger, and his alcohol high is at its highest. His recent acceptance to be a Pokémon Master is obvious cause for excitement.  
  
"Why don't you try and slow it down a bit Ash? Your mom will kill you if she sees you like this," Brock is yelling in his ear over the noise. Ah, Brock, ever the cautious one. This is Ash's night! His time to shine!  
  
"Ease up, Brock. Why don't you try and have a little fun for once? You always gotta be such a tight ass." Ash laughs too much at this statement. Brock rolls his eyes and ignores him. Eventually, Ash will be the one to pay for crap he pulls, especially tomorrow morning. The thought of Ash's killer hangover makes him smile with victory.  
  
As Brock walks away, Ash begins to tell his "followers" another inflated story about one of his battles. He is halfway through it when he spots an unmistakable flash of vibrant, red hair just beyond his circle. She is pretty, but not overwhelmingly so. Skinny and tall, Misty is wearing tight jeans and a pale yellow sweater. The night air is cooler than normal. Instantly forgetting exactly what he was talking about, Ash abruptly gets up.  
  
"But baby," the blonde coos in Ash's ear, "what about the story?"  
  
Who is this woman? Ash doesn't have a clue. He mumbles something about the bathroom and vaguely tries to remember who she is. It's no use. His mind is elsewhere...  
  
When he finally breaks away from the admirers, he looks around. Misty has left the vicinity of the party, but Ash's blurred vision eventually meets with her retreating figure. He follows her to a swinging bench, where she drops herself heavily. Ash stands a few feet away until Misty finally notices him with a start. There are traces of tears on her cheeks, which are warm with drink.  
  
"What do you want?" she asks with resentment as she looks away.  
  
Ash is completely puzzled. For how many years has this girl never failed to puzzle him? Something is always wrong. One thing has always proved helpful, though: flattery.  
  
"Only to sit with my best girl," he says as he sits close to her. Misty looks at him incredulously.  
  
"You're so drunk."  
  
"You don't look too 'designated driver' yourself," he replies with a smirk they both know is irresistible.  
  
"What about your fan club?" Misty asks as she suddenly finds her face inches away from Ash's. He can feel her breath on his cheeks, his lips. They begin to feel each other's nervousness; they know somewhere in their minds that this is wrong, this is not what "friends" do, but neither one can break the drowsy barrier of drunkenness so as to think clearly. Ash leans into her.  
  
"Aw Mist, you know I only have eyes for you." Misty remembers thinking later on how corny that sounded, how drunk they both really were, for him to have actually said that and for her to have actually believed it. But then the inches between their faces had disappeared, and Misty was kissing him and he was kissing her back. Oh wow, this is amazing, she thought. It was everything she'd wanted, everything she'd imagined.  
  
The first droplets scared her a little, but the alcohol had slowed her reaction time. It took both of them a second to realize what was going on. They broke their kiss and looked up to find that the sky was falling. No, no, it was only rain. Ash laughed exuberantly and lifted his arms to the sky, cursing the weatherman extensively once again. Misty found herself laughing too, though she had no idea why. She supposed the two of them must have looked quite crazy to the rest of the world, yelling and laughing to the heavens together. They had crossed the line; there was nothing left to lose. Every last shred of dignity and common sense had gone; even if they had wanted to stop they couldn't have. Soon, they were holding each other again, the rain beating down, soaking them to their very souls, making them need the other's warmth to survive. Both felt as though they might burst if something, something didn't happen soon...  
  
"I love you." The earth seemed to calm herself for just a moment so that Misty could hear his perfect words whispered in her waiting ear. She needed no more reassurance. There was a deafening crack of thunder as Misty answered him in the same words, and Ash took her hand. Together, they ran madly towards a barn they could only barely see in the blinding rain. There they stayed the night together, deaf and blind to every other outside force, as the rain beat mercilessly on the roof.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Mere seconds had passed between Ash and Misty during their abrupt flashback, but it felt like hours. Somehow, one or both of them must have stumbled, because Ash was holding Misty as if to prevent falling. Even in the dim twilight, both of them knew what the other one was recalling. It was almost as if they had lived it twice. As Ash slowly pulled away from her, they averted their eyes, afraid to look directly at each other. Misty was disgusted with herself for feeling embarrassed, or scared, or whatever she was feeling at the moment. She was an adult; adults were capable of handling things! She needed to pull herself together, to think clearly, not to shy away when things got uncomfortable. Why could she never bring herself to do that?  
  
"We should talk," Ash said, his liquor high now completely gone. Funny how that happened.  
  
No, no, talking is bad, Misty thought. We should be doing the opposite of talking...  
  
"Yeah," she replies. Just say as little as possible.  
  
Ash is in no way reassured by her response, but he cannot keep these questions inside any longer; they are burning to be asked.  
  
"I was just a little surprised, you know? I mean, you show up with this kid... When did you, I mean, how long have you...," he stumbles with the words as he secretly begs Misty to relieve him.  
  
It is then that the reality hits her. Oh, how could she have been so paranoid? Ash really has no idea that Chiharu is his child! It is so obvious in his voice that she can hardly stand it. She feels she must jump and scream to celebrate this miniscule victory. Ash is far too dense to figure it out based solely on appearances! There's no way. At least that upset is still hers to disclose. All he knows is that Misty has a daughter, nothing more. It seems so hilarious that she hadn't realized this sooner; wouldn't he have been much angrier if he had known? Much more persistent?  
  
Misty is smiling widely now, but she is sure Ash cannot see her in the dark.  
  
"Chiharu is about four and a half. Is that what you wanted to know?" she asks with a little less heaviness in her voice.  
  
Ash feels as though he's just been given a harsh blow to his stomach. That old? She found someone that soon after he left? Oh, it's too cruel. He stays silent for a long time.  
  
"Where's her father?" he suddenly asks bravely.  
  
Now there's the sixty-four thousand dollar question. "He's...come and gone," Misty replies carefully.  
  
"He left you?" Ash blurts out although he hadn't entirely meant to.  
  
"...Yes." Why not.  
  
Ash feels an untamed rage building in his chest. How could a man desert his family like that? What kind of coward leaves his child? Ash swears that if he ever gets his hands on that guy he'll...wait, calm down. No need to get hyped up just yet. No matter how disgusted he is, Ash must control his anger. He vaguely wonders why he had gotten so mad in the first place; why did he feel the need to instantly jump to Misty's defense?  
  
"I wrote to you. I wrote almost every day." Ash grasps his hands nervously. "You never wrote me back."  
  
Misty feels a pang of sadness. "I was angry. It was...hard. You just left..."  
  
Ash hangs his head in disgrace. His actions the morning he left five years ago still haunt him. He had left her there, fast asleep, without waking her to say goodbye. He figured out later that he had been afraid of facing his actions and the consequences to follow. What a coward he had been; he couldn't even imagine how much that had hurt her, to wake up after everything and find yourself completely alone.  
  
"I called and called for you at my mom's house, and I wrote you so many letters... I was so wrong, Misty; I'll never forgive myself for what I did to you..."  
  
"Stop," Misty says. Ash would interpret it as a sign of anger and grief towards his meek apology, but Misty knew otherwise. She knew she had to make him stop apologizing because she had become so sick with herself that she felt she might vomit. Sure, what Ash had done had broken her heart, but what she had done was a thousand times worse. Concealing his child's identity and preventing him from contact with her? Misty should be the one begging for forgiveness. How could she have done this to him? Ash was possibly the most honorable man on earth; after all the things Misty had done to him, she simply couldn't let him stand there and apologize anymore.  
  
Ash was about to say something more, but both he and Misty were distracted by a rustling in the grass a few yards away. Quickly bounding towards the pair was none other than the vibrant Chiharu, obviously too restless to stand still any longer.  
  
"Mommy, I was only standing there where you told me to! I didn't move! She came and found me; it wasn't my fault!"  
  
"Sweetie, slow down, what happened?" Misty asked as her attentions wandered down to her daughter.  
  
"Mrs. Ketchup! I was being real quiet, mommy, but she found me anyways!" Chiharu's eyes were glassy and tired, but Misty could tell she was trying to fight it off.  
  
"Okay, alright, it's okay Chiharu, we're going to leave really soon,"  
  
"We can't, mom, 'cuz Mrs. Ketchup says you got to come see her. She wants to talk to you, and I said I knew where you were so I'd come get you."  
  
Misty sighed heavily. Ash was smiling slightly at the "Ketchup" mistake, but said nothing. Misty was starting to feel pretty tired herself; she only wanted to get in her car and drive away...  
  
Chiharu was involuntarily leaning on her mother's leg out of sheer exhaustion. Misty carefully picked her tiny body up and situated herself so that Chiharu's head rested on her shoulder. Misty turned and looked at Ash with a gaze that held more meaning than she had intended, then started walking around the house to the backyard.  
  
Delia was now the only person left at the party, and she was taking her time cleaning up the party mess. When she turned and saw Misty with the sleeping Chiharu in her arms, she fussed intensely until Misty let her lay Chiharu on the couch in the living room. She then proceeded to the kitchen and turned on the small TV. While doing so, she explained what it was she needed to tell Misty.  
  
"I didn't see you after you left for the bathroom earlier. I thought maybe you had left. I'm glad you're still here; there's this huge storm up near Cerulean. I heard they were blocking off a whole bunch of roads because of flooding."  
  
Misty's heart sank. She turned miserably to the television and prayed with all her might that just one road would be safe for her to travel home on.  
  
"...And the situation in the areas in and surrounding Pewter and Cerulean has only worsened as the night goes on. There is a tornado watch in effect for this area, and major flooding has brought traffic to a complete stop. Police and rescue personnel are asking people to stay off the roads until further notice. Routes One, Two, Three, and Four are all closed to motor vehicles. This treacherous storm system is steadily heading south, and people are preparing for the worst all along the coast. Stay tuned for more updates..." The weatherwoman was quickly spitting out more information faster than Misty could process it. She started to panic.  
  
"But it looks fine outside! Barely a cloud! How can every road be closed?"  
  
"Well, I'm taking no chances. It sounds awful up there, and there's no way I'm letting you drive in that. I've already turned up the bed in the guest room for you and Chiharu, so why don't we get her settled..."  
  
Misty had ceased to listen. There was no way this could be happening. It was simply too much. All she could do was stand there in shock, which was becoming an action she was quite accustomed to. It felt like some unearthly force was making sure she never left this cursed place! She wanted to laugh, but her heart was too heavy. She wanted to weep, but her eyes were too tired. She wanted to scream, but her voice had hidden deep in her throat. The only thing she knew she could do was sleep.  
  
Misty forced herself to walk the way Delia had gone, leaving the buzz of the television on. She hadn't noticed, but Ash was still watching her defeated figure through the screen door, secretly thanking the heavens for giving him one more day.  
  
*~*~*~*~* 


	5. The Deeper We Fall

When it Rains  
  
By--abbylicious  
  
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.  
  
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.  
  
Chapter Five--The Deeper We Fall  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Dull, gray light was filtering through the shades as Misty reluctantly let herself leave the comforts of unconsciousness. She wished that her eyes would open to reveal her own room in her own house, but she was instead greeted by Delia's homey guestroom. A few seconds after this realization, Misty felt the need to release a melancholy groan, for her head was throbbing with a pain as dull as the sunlight. Her body ached with sleepiness and she felt movement of any sort would be impossible, but Misty eventually forced herself to sit up. The cotton sheets stuck to her sweaty body, and the oversized T-shirt Delia had lent her clung to her frame. It was extremely hot and stuffy throughout the room, and this atmosphere made Misty seem even more beaten down. Her vision was fuzzy, and she stubbed her toe on the frame of the bedroom door. When she finally made her way to the bathroom, she remembered that Chiharu had not been beside her in bed when she woke up. She pushed the thought away, figuring she was safe with Delia.  
  
The image of herself in the mirror made Misty grimace in annoyance. Her hair was greasy and disheveled, her eyes were puffy and red, and her face and neck were shiny with sweat. After relieving herself and neglecting to wash her hands, she wandered towards the kitchen, hoping to catch the weather report as soon as possible.  
  
Neither Delia nor Chiharu were in the kitchen as Misty had expected them to be. She felt slightly puzzled. Where was everyone? She looked around, through the windows. It was then that she spied Chiharu, carrying a...hammer? Yes, that's what it is. She's handing it over to Ash, who's boarding something up against the side of the house...  
  
Oh God, she thought as she turned away. Her hands started shaking as she tried to reassure herself. Why couldn't they spend time together? It's not like Ash would be able to figure anything out... But what if Chiharu said something suspicious? What if he started asking questions? Oh, Chiharu! Why couldn't she just be afraid of strangers?  
  
Misty looked anxiously back at the window, but neither Ash nor Chiharu were in sight. She felt extremely foolish for forgetting that Ash would be staying in the same house as she this morning. She needed to get Chiharu and leave, but even though Misty continued to scan the cloudy yard, she couldn't spot Ash or her daughter anywhere...  
  
Suddenly, the screen door banged open and Chiharu came bouncing in with mud and dirt all over her. She was quickly followed by Ash, his T-shirt drenched with sweat and his face smudged with dirt. He glanced casually at Misty while she calmed her startled heart.  
  
"Wow," Ash started as he gave her the once-over, "you look terrible." He poured himself some hot coffee.  
  
Misty was painfully aware of her inappropriate appearance. What a typical "Ash statement", she thought. Typical Ash behavior too, acting like everything was peachy. Misty couldn't help but glare a bit at his turned back.  
  
"Chiharu!" Misty called as she herded her daughter out of the kitchen, moving away from Ash's smirk. At least he was still none the wiser in the Chiharu matter.  
  
"Ugh, look at this dress!" Misty proclaimed as she inspected the yellow garment with distain. Chiharu resisted fervently while her mother peeled the filthy thing off of her. "You need a bath..."  
  
"I'll take care of that," Delia said as she appeared in the door. Misty jumped with surprise as Delia explained that she had just returned from the supermarket.  
  
"It was positively insane," she began as she entered. "It was as if it was the end of the world! People were picking the shelves clean! For heaven's sake, it's only a summer storm! Suppose one can't be too prepared, though... I'm just glad I got out of there when I did; people were actually fighting over carts... Just mayhem..." Delia continued to talk as she prepared a cool bath. "It looks awful out there; I'll say that much. I'd expect this whole thing to hit us really soon. Do you feel that humidity? It's unbearable." She paused as Chiharu stepped into the tub and turned to Misty. "I've already laid out some clean clothes for you to wear in my bathroom. You can get cleaned up in there if you want. I put out some fresh towels and everything."  
  
"Um, okay," Misty replied faintly. This whole thing was a little hard to believe. Perhaps the heat was getting to her, but it suddenly felt like everyone in the house was one big, happy family and Misty wasn't sure if she like that feeling. It was too strange, too...normal. She walked away in a ghostlike trance, feeling like Ash and Delia were taking over her job.  
  
Misty tried to shove her thoughts away as she stepped into the other bathroom and slid open the tiny window above the shower. The air outside was no fresher than what was in the rest of the house. Misty looked outside worriedly and hoped she and Chiharu weren't still washing when the lightning hit.  
  
She made the water as icy cold as possible and threw her sweaty clothes on the floor. Plunging her head under the faucet, the freezing water emptied her head of all anxiety. It felt wonderful after everything she'd been through. Misty figured the worrying would never go away completely as long as she stayed here, but cleansing her body put her thoughts away for a short while. Delia's bathroom was very feminine, with pink, flowery soaps and fluffy frills everywhere. It wasn't exactly Misty's style, but it made her feel good to be a bit pampered.  
  
After washing the sweat out of her hair and skin, Misty stepped out of the shower. The bathroom felt a little cooler as she dried herself on Delia's soft towels. She looked over the clothes Delia had left her and found a pair of jean shorts and a plain, white, fitted shirt. They must have been from Delia's younger days, for when Misty pulled the shorts over her, she found them to be a little tight. The shirt was not so revealing, but it would be hard to hide in this simple outfit.  
  
Misty looked in the mirror at her wet, limp hair. It would probably never fully dry in this humidity, so she simply pulled it back into a ponytail. She didn't have any makeup, but it didn't matter. She didn't look too bad, and who would care if she did?  
  
After hanging up her towels, Misty gathered her crumpled dirty clothes and headed back to the guestroom. Even in the uncomfortable heat, Misty felt much better, having showered. She began to search again for Chiharu, and found her outside, sitting with Delia on the patio.  
  
"Here she is...," Delia said. Chiharu was wearing an obvious old outfit of Ash's. Misty's heart caught in her throat at the family resemblance.  
  
"Th-thanks for the clothes," Misty said with an expressive smile. "I wish we hadn't imposed on you like this."  
  
"Nonsense. I would have welcomed you even if this storm hadn't brewed up. Just look at that sky..."  
  
Misty looked up at the steadily blackening clouds in the distance. It looked like the sky was about to crack in two. She had to admit, there was no way she would have wanted to drive through that. The radio was spitting out warnings and updates in the background, and Misty sat down with Delia and Chiharu.  
  
"Mommy, is our house going to wash away?" Chiharu asked with concern. She must have heard about the flooding in Cerulean. Misty was forced to wonder. It was a possibility...  
  
"Of course not, sweetie. Everything's fine. You'll see just as soon as we can go home." Misty looked at Delia almost guiltily for the statement.  
  
"No rush, of course," Delia replied with her usual smile. She looked past Misty and Chiharu thoughtfully. The air was heavy and still, as it always is before a storm hits. It is an eerie calm.  
  
Misty looked at the house and saw that almost all of the windows had been boarded up. Pallet Town had had good warning for this storm. Delia was lucky to have Ash around. Misty spied him in the corner of her eye and he looked up at her. He was just about finished with the windows and was packing up his tools. It was then that the wind started up. Slow at first, then vicious as it picked up speed. It took no more than a second, but in that short time, the area was swept with extremely strong gusts. It was an entirely different scene from the humid, sticky one of a few moments ago.  
  
Delia was quickly gathering up the wireless radio and ushering Chiharu inside. Misty followed, and Delia shut the screen door behind them. She let out an exasperated breath.  
  
"I thought we would've had a bit longer before this started up. That wind is murder," Delia said as she smoothed her windblown hair. Then, she clicked her tongue as she looked back out the window. "That boy, he never knows when to quit. Why wont he come in already?" she said, regarding Ash. She turned to Misty and said, "Will you go and bring him in? I'd do it myself, but he wont listen to me; I'm sure of it."  
  
"Well, I," Misty muttered as Delia gave her a gentle shove and she reluctantly opened the door. She wouldn't have gone to do this if she wasn't positive Delia was right.  
  
The wind was treacherous, but luckily, Ash wasn't too far away from the house. Misty made her way towards him as her hair whipped about her face. He saw her when she was about five steps away. He knew what she wanted, but for a moment, he just stared at her discretely. Last night had been dark, and it had been years since he had seen what she looked like. It was impossible to forget, of course, but she had changed in some ways. She was almost as tall as he was, her eyes were squinting, her cheeks were flushed, and her hair was a mess. She looked beautiful.  
  
"Your mom wants you to come inside," she had to shout so that the wind didn't carry her words away. "It's dangerous," she added.  
  
"I know. I'll come in soon," he said. Misty looked at him stubbornly and didn't make any motions to go back inside.  
  
"You worry too much," he said with a smile, then added, "about me."  
  
"You don't make it easy not to. You don't take care of yourself."  
  
"Well, I always had you around. You made sure I didn't do anything too stupid," he said as he started to head towards the house with a grin. Misty looked at him.  
  
"Yes. You certainly need looking after, don't you?" she sighed.  
  
Ash seemed a little surprised at her response. Was she still mad about his remark from this morning? "Hey, you were the one who started following me, remember? I never asked for you to 'look after me'," he said jokingly.  
  
"I never asked for it either," Misty said after a pause. "It just...happened, I guess."  
  
Finally, just as the first sheets of rain came pouring out of the sky, they stepped into the shelter of the house. Misty started peeling a few leaves out of her hair and was surprised when Ash reached up and removed a small one himself. Misty was horrified by her girlish blush. Ash didn't seem to notice her discomfort.  
  
"Do you still think I need a babysitter, or have I matured a bit since we first met?" he asked her, hoping she didn't take it as another joke. It was becoming increasingly hard for him to maintain this conversation. Misty was a distracting creature...  
  
She looked at him skeptically. "Well, I doubt I'll ever stop worrying about what you're going to do next, but I hope all these years away have taught you something."  
  
Ash looked at her and was almost happy to hear her say she worried about him still. "Hell, I hope so, too," he said as he walked slowly out of the room.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
By the time Delia had started preparing supper, the storm had morphed into a rainy, windblown, black, cloudy mess. There was no way any human could stand more than five minutes outside. If it was even half this bad last night, Misty thought, then she was actually glad that Delia had made her stay, at least for Chiharu's safety. The weatherman on TV was saying that the storm system was steadily turning into hurricane conditions in the Pallet area. Misty believed him. She had only seen one other hurricane in her life, but this one was obviously much worse. With Pallet Town being only miles from the ocean, Misty was genuinely afraid of the potential damage.  
  
She was glancing out the window casually when she saw the lightning. The thunder followed it so closely that Misty was sure they were one and the same. After the roaring stopped, she heard Chiharu's startled little shout as the lights and television blinked once, and then blacked out completely. Delia was fussing in the kitchen about how the food was only half cooked while Misty crawled out of her chair to get to Chiharu. Holding her tight against her chest, she eventually calmed down when Ash appeared with a flashlight.  
  
"Is everything alright up here?" He had been in the basement preparing food and water storage in case they had to settle in down there.  
  
"We're fine," Misty replied, "just a little shaken." She smiled down at Chiharu.  
  
"Okay, well, I'll go and find some candles. Why don't you two hang onto this flashlight for me?" he said as she handed it to Chiharu. Ash was surprised when Pikachu decided to stay also, and that it was eagerly inspecting Chiharu. Chiharu was giggling, and Ash shrugged as he left to find the candles.  
  
After the living room was fully lit with ghostly, flickering light, Misty sat up in her chair again as Chiharu played with Pikachu. It almost seemed as though Pikachu knew that Chiharu was special in some way. Misty wondered if it knew that Chiharu was Ash's daughter, and if that was the reason it paid such attention to her. She almost laughed at the fact that Ash's Pokémon knew more than he did. Again, Misty caught herself feeling a certain fondness for Ash; there was still a soft spot in her heart for him. Not entirely a romantic fondness, but she still felt her stomach drop when he walked into a room or looked at her in a certain way. That was the way it had always been; this wasn't something new. It was something deep inside her that had been locked away and buried over the years, but now all those emotions were pushing their way out, needing to be known. With all these things happening, Misty wondered if she would have the strength to leave again without telling Ash everything and go back to her old life of loneliness and forgotten dreams.  
  
"Well, I suppose supper is ready," Delia interrupted bitterly. She was actually upset about her half-warm meal. Misty tried to hide her grin as she and Chiharu went into the kitchen.  
  
"At least Pikachu doesn't need warm food," Ash joked as he poured some dry Pokémon food into his companion's bowl. His mother gave him a warning look and Ash sat down with a grin. He winked at Chiharu, who then lit up with laughter. Misty looked down at her plate.  
  
When they had all assembled around the table and begun eating, Delia started talking about her poor garden and if Ash had done absolutely everything she had asked so that it was protected from the storm. Misty somewhat tuned her out and turned her attentions elsewhere. She noticed Chiharu slipping her vegetables to a waiting Pikachu under the table and smiled. She turned her head then and noticed Ash looking at her for just a moment. The candlelight from the table made his eyes stand out dramatically. Misty slowly looked back down at her plate. How many times had she pictured this in her mind? The three of them, seated together at home, eating, talking. To see it actually happening brought mixed emotions. It made her feel calm on one side and deceitful on the other. For, Ash could never be a part of this fantasy if he didn't know he belonged there. Maybe it really was time for the truth to be known. Ash was not the same know-it-all kid he used to be; perhaps he could handle it now. Perhaps he would welcome it...  
  
"More potatoes, Misty?" Ash asked as he offered her the bowl.  
  
Misty's bravery dissipated the moment she met his eyes. And perhaps, she thought, he would despise her forever.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
After supper, Ash, Misty, and Chiharu had retired to the living room. Both Ash and Misty had offered to help clean up, but Delia had refused profusely. The sink couldn't be used, so there wasn't much to do, but Delia always found something. Misty was suspicious of all the "alone time" Delia seemed to be pushing on her and Ash, and she wondered about the woman's motives; she could be quite mischievous when she tried. Meanwhile, the storm was worsening, and the loud cracks of thunder and the bright lightning kept Chiharu close to her mother's side. The wind and rain crashed against the house and whipped through the bending trees outside. She would whimper slightly every now and then, and not even Pikachu could comfort her.  
  
"Why don't we head down to the basement? Would that make you feel safer, Chiharu?" Ash asked with concern. Chiharu nodded energetically and waited impatiently by the basement door until Ash and Misty had blown out all the candles and told Delia what they were doing. After that, Chiharu bolted down the stairs and the two adults tried hard not to laugh at her.  
  
The basement was completely refurnished except for the backroom, where all the emergency items were stored. The stairs led right into the main room, which contained a couch, a couple of armchairs, a small TV, a table with chairs, and the wireless radio. It was quite cozy.  
  
Ash walked over to a cabinet in the corner and began looking through its contents while Misty set up candles around the room. "Let's see here... We've got some crossword puzzles, Monopoly, and a deck of cards. Not much. Anything you think you'd like?" Ash asked Chiharu.  
  
Chiharu was already looking less scared as she said she'd like to play "Go Fish", since she didn't know how to play Monopoly and crossword puzzles were boring. So, they set up the game and began to play. It took only two rounds of it for Chiharu to start getting sleepy, and she barely noticed when her mother put her down on the couch and covered her with a blanket. Ash shuffled the cards as Misty sat back down at the table.  
  
"You wanna go again?" he asked slyly. "I know I'll beat you this time."  
  
Misty laughed softly and nodded. Ash dealt. "So, you never really said anything about your trip," Misty started. "Care to elaborate?"  
  
Ash smiled. "It was...an experience, I'll say that much. I learned a lot. It was tough training, a lot of lectures. I don't even remember how many battles I had."  
  
"Are you now like, an ultimate Pokémon Master, or what?"  
  
"No, I wouldn't say that. I'd just say that I'm...more ready for what the world has in store. I know what my job requires of me. Do you have any sixes?"  
  
"Go fish," Misty replied after searching her hand. She sighed and glanced at his face. "It's still pretty amazing that you actually did it. You're living your dream, Ash. I don't know if I ever really told you how much I admire that."  
  
Ash looked up at her briefly. "There's more to my dreams that's still left to be achieved. But thank you. It means a lot coming from you. I doubt I ever would have done it if it wasn't for you and Brock. You were my touchstone."  
  
Misty nodded thoughtfully and was relieved to find she didn't blush. The candles were starting to fill the air with soft heat. Ash cleared his throat and said, "What about you, Misty; what have you been up to?"  
  
Misty's heart stopped. It would be such a simple question under normal circumstances. It could also be the perfect opportunity for Ash's long- overdue enlightenment...  
  
His eyes were waiting patiently for a response. Misty tried to form the words, but nothing was coming out until she uttered, "Nothing much. Just trying to raise Chiharu on my own." Misty kept her face casual, but inside, her heart was breaking with cowardice. There was no way she could tell him; she was too scared. The guilt and disgust were almost overwhelming.  
  
"What do you do?" Ash asked, implying her job.  
  
Misty took a deep, sad breath and continued as normal. "Well, at first, I was a waitress at a local restaurant in Cerulean. Then, I had to stay at the Gym with my sisters until Chiharu was born. After that, I decided I needed to settle on a career that could support her. I started working in a bakery, and everything just went up from there. Can you imagine, me baking? But it's what I'm good at." She shrugged. "Eventually, I saved up enough to buy my house, and that's where we are today."  
  
"You don't train anymore?" Ash asked.  
  
"I gave it up," Misty said with a tinge of regret. "I didn't have time for it, and it seemed cruel to just let my Pokémon sit around, doing nothing." Ash looked at her sympathetically, but Misty shook her head. "It was my choice. Maybe someday I'll take it up again, but not while Chiharu is still so young."  
  
"And what about Chiharu? Does she want to be a trainer someday?" Ash couldn't help but smile at the thought, though he didn't entirely know why.  
  
"It certainly is in her blood," Misty said, then instantly regretted doing so. Ash didn't seem to notice her mishap, however.  
  
"She seems to have a way with Pokémon," Ash said as he noticed Pikachu curling up on the couch with Chiharu. He smiled with a fondness Misty had only dreamed he would show for Chiharu, and she had to turn away to hide stinging tears. Misty suddenly felt her heart was nothing more than a bag of broken glass. She was not only denying Ash the truth, but she was denying her child of her father. How heartless, how lost, how...messed-up could she be? They were silent for a while as Ash gathered up the playing cards. Misty watched him doing so, and the guilt of lying to him was almost too much to bear. They were so close; if only she didn't have this secret hanging over their heads...  
  
Ash looked up from the table when he was done. In the faint glow of the candle, he could not remember Misty ever looking so beautiful and so sad at the same time. He felt his heart prodding him to reach out to her, to comfort her in some way. But he had no idea how to start, not to mention the fact that he had no idea what was wrong, as usual. Misty, on the other hand, was reprimanding herself for even wanting Ash to console her when she was entirely the guilty party. It was the same argument going on in her head all the time-she should tell him, she simply couldn't tell him, back and forth in a constant struggle. She needed to decide on a plan that wouldn't keep her conscience in turmoil...  
  
"Is something wrong?" Ash asked with genuine concern.  
  
"No," Misty replied slowly, "I'm fine." Another lie to add to the list. This one, however, Ash recognized. Something was going on behind Misty's troubled expression, something that was weighing heavily on her. He realized that it had been there since he first encountered her in the yard last night. As to what, Ash was left with nothing. He couldn't help her until she was ready, and with Chiharu sleeping mere feet away and his mother listening from upstairs, Ash knew that tonight was not the night.  
  
As he slowly started picking up the room, Misty crept into an armchair with a blanket clasped around her shoulders. She turned her gaze away from him and sunk into deep thought. She knew there would be little sleep for her tonight; she needed to get things straight in her head before she did anything more. She blessed Ash for respecting her and watched almost forlornly as he headed upstairs. She didn't deserve him, but he deserved her honesty after so many years of waiting.  
  
Tomorrow, she decided, tomorrow will be the judgment day.  
  
*~*~*~*~* 


	6. Lonely Day

When it Rains  
  
By--abbylicious  
  
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.  
  
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.  
  
Chapter Six--Lonely Day  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Delia," Misty whispered. "Delia, please, wake up!"  
  
Delia stirred slightly and opened her tired eyes to the blackness of the basement. It seemed only moments ago that she had gone to bed on the small cot. She tried to rouse her sleeping brain and comprehend Misty's hushed words. Misty touched her softly on the shoulder as Delia sat up.  
  
"Wh-what's going on? Is something wrong?" Delia asked, suddenly full of concern.  
  
"No, no, nothing's wrong...," Misty fidgeted as she searched for the words. "I just, well, could we maybe...talk?"  
  
Delia, although thoroughly confused now, nodded and stood up slowly. After shaking off the dizziness, Delia tried to ask Misty what was happening, but got no reply. Misty helped her up the stairs and led her to the kitchen so that the sleepers below would not be disturbed. Delia glanced at the clock on the counter. It read 3:34 A.M. Delia wondered what could possibly be so important at such an hour as she waited patiently for Misty to speak. The storm raged outside, and the kitchen was briefly illuminated by flashes of lightning.  
  
Thinking carefully about what to say, Misty began to pace slowly around the room. She had pondered her impossible situation for hours in the basement, only pretending to sleep at the appropriate times. She had not managed to let go of the fear and anxiety that haunted her constantly; it didn't matter how long she thought about what she had to force herself to do. Nothing was going to make this any easier.  
  
"I... There's something I need...to tell someone," Misty was discouraged to find her voice shaking, but she forced herself to go on. "It's about Chiharu."  
  
Delia frowned. She had never seen Misty so nervous before, so scared. It seemed as though she felt the entire world heavily weighing on her shoulders. What could be so imperative?  
  
Misty started wringing her hands together, but she couldn't feel anything. She looked into Delia's eyes, then down at the floor, then back again. "It's about Chiharu," she repeated, "and-it's about Ash..."  
  
"What are you talking about? Misty, you don't look well at all, I,"  
  
"It happened the night of Ash's party... Ash and I-we... I was drunk and...it all just happened... Oh, God..." Misty clasped her face in her hands and knew that her rambling made little sense. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry, promised herself she'd be strong...  
  
Delia felt her mouth drop slightly. She was at a loss for words.  
  
"I thought, you know, that I could just move on and forget everything, but then I came here and... I'm just so messed up right now and I needed to tell someone; I needed to make this guilt go away, but I know that I don't deserve it and..." Misty dropped into the chair adjacent Delia, her legs unable to support her any longer.  
  
Delia collected herself and said, "Chiharu is...Ash's child? Is that what you're saying?"  
  
Misty lifted her shamed, tearful face and nodded solemnly.  
  
"How, how did this happen? I, I just, you never told me... How could you not have told someone? All this time..." Delia looked at Misty urgently. "How could you not have told Ash?"  
  
"I know. I know! I was scared... I didn't want to ruin his dream! He had only just become a Master!"  
  
Delia sighed heavily. "This...this is insane. It's wrong. All these years... I thought I'd made it clear that you could at least trust me, Misty! I should have known... Who else could it have been? Oh Misty, why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you!"  
  
"No, no, you've already helped me so much, more than I could have ever hoped for." Misty tried to calm herself. "It was, immeasurably wrong of me to lie to you, and Ash. I was so scared, though. I thought you'd be ashamed of me for being so incredibly stupid. And I didn't want Ash to have to stay here because of my pregnancy. He had a life! He was going to make something of himself! How could I ruin that for him? I-I love your son very much, Delia. Don't think that our daughter wasn't conceived in that love.  
  
"The time that I've spent here has made me realize that I have to end this massive lie that I've tangled myself in. You deserve the truth as much as anyone, and I felt that if I talked to you first, it would give me the strength to tell Ash. I've been thinking about this for too long to give up now. I can't stand to live with myself any longer. At this point, it doesn't matter whether Ash hates me. Perhaps I couldn't endure that five years ago, but now I realize that him knowing the truth is more important than how he feels about me. My purpose is not to leave with a husband and father for Chiharu. I'm too disgusted with myself to think of anything like that. Justice needs to be served, and that's all I care about."  
  
Misty took a deep breath and allowed herself to feel relief wash over her. Her words sounded surer than she felt, but now, at least, they were out in the open. Even if Delia resented her for it, Misty had told her. Nothing could change the truth.  
  
Every sound seemed to be magnified in the time that followed. Misty itched with anticipation. After a few minutes of apprehensive silence, Delia removed herself from her chair and stood directly in front of Misty.  
  
"You are a desperately confused young woman. Never in my life have I witnessed a person so obsessed with sparing everyone's feelings. You have to realize that this is not a simple situation. No one will go away from this without feeling hurt or betrayed. While you are not the only one at fault, you've never made these circumstances any better. I know in your heart that you were only trying to protect the ones you loved, but you cannot do that by lying to them. To do what you have just done must have taken courage, but it is not my response you should be worried about.  
  
"Ash knows what it's like to grow up without a father. Don't subject Chiharu to the same. My son has more strength than you give him credit for."  
  
Misty stood up carefully and Delia put her arms around her as she mumbled guiltily into Delia's shoulder.  
  
"You wont tell him, will you?" Misty asked.  
  
"Not if you promise me you will," Delia replied as she handed Misty a tissue. She blew her nose and nodded with absolute certainty.  
  
"And are you...angry with me?" Misty added meekly.  
  
Delia considered the question. "I'm glad you've finally told me, but I'm also disappointed. You know how much I love you, Misty. Please don't ever lie about something this important again."  
  
"That's another promise."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
The next morning could barely be distinguished from the dark, cloudy night Misty and the others had suffered. No one besides Chiharu had gotten more than five hours of sleep and still the storm raged. Everyone was enduring a bit of cabin fever.  
  
Ash's first errand was to try and make his way outside to inspect the house for possible damages. He was discouraged to find many that he could do absolutely nothing about until the rain let up, but glad to finally be out of the house. The tension had elevated to new levels overnight, and he had no desire to be in the middle of it today. Even a hurricane was better than facing Misty most days. He laughed affectionately to himself at this thought.  
  
The weather forecast brought only more of the same; no one knew exactly when the storm might end. They only cautioned and warned people of the dangers of flooding, severe thunderstorms, and possible tornados. Everyone talked of how strange it was for Pallet to have a storm of such magnitude since the town was famous for pleasant weather. Ash briefly thought that the storm might be the result of some bizarre, new Pokémon phenomenon, but this was only wishful thinking.  
  
As the day wore on, everyone tried to move around and make themselves useful, but they soon realized that there was nothing much to do. The gloomy weather also had an effect, and even Chiharu was starting to lose her infamous liveliness. Since Misty and Delia were both engaged in a random cleaning task, Chiharu was left to her own devices on the living room floor, where she now sat in utter boredom. This was how Ash found her when he walked in from outside.  
  
He shook off some of the moisture that had collected on his coat as he walked into the living room. Chiharu's eyes lit up instantly at the sight of him; Ash had become her instant entertainment trigger.  
  
"Hey," he began as he hung up his jacket. "Where is everybody?"  
  
"Oh, mommy and Delia? They're cleaning." She made a face. Ash smiled.  
  
"What a surprise... You look almost...bored. Although, I don't understand why," he said knowingly.  
  
Chiharu looked confused. Of course she was bored!  
  
Ash looked at Chiharu's expression and laughed. "Well, then you just don't know how much fun this place can be, even when you're stuck indoors."  
  
Chiharu leapt up and grinned with anticipation.  
  
"Let's see now, what can I think of... Oh, I know!" Ash looked at Chiharu with a bit of his old boyish mischievousness. "I've still got tons of my old Pokémon games and things. They're all in my room; I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner!"  
  
Chiharu bounced along beside Ash as they headed for his old room down the hall. Chiharu slid the door open slowly, as if she were entering a secret, forbidden place, filled with treasures. Ash reached up on the side of the wall and turned on the light. Chiharu was very pleased to find such an oasis in the middle of all the gloom. Her eyes took in the bunk beds, the brightly colored décor, and especially, all the Pokémon stuff.  
  
"Well, it's not much, but it suited me at your age," Ash said fondly. Chiharu was mesmerized. She walked in and headed for the nearest bookshelf.  
  
"Do you want to read a book first? I've got lots of exciting Pokémon stories," he suggested.  
  
Chiharu ran her fingers across the bindings and picked out a book with a blue cover. "This one, please," she replied.  
  
"Oh, wow, this was one of my favorites. It's about this boy who's trying to get his first badge, but the only Pokémon he has is a Magikarp. In the end, well, you'll see..." He opens the book to the first page as he and Chiharu sit on a mat on the floor. "Once upon a time, a little boy name-,"  
  
"Make it a girl, named Chiharu," she interrupted. Ash laughed and said, "Why, of course! What was I thinking?"  
  
Ash continued the story, and Chiharu listened intently as "Chiharu" lived out her adventures with her deficient Magikarp. The story ended with the pathetic Pokémon evolving, giving its trainer the power to get her first badge. Since "Chiharu" never gave up on her Pokémon and believed in it, it rewarded her by becoming a fearsome Gyarados and winning the Boulder Badge.  
  
"So," Ash said as he placed the book back in its place, "what did you think? This version was a little different from what I'm used to, but I think it came out even better than before."  
  
"It was very, very good," she said seriously. She leaned against the side of the bed and glanced at Ash once again as she captured an idea. "Hey," she started excitedly, "you must have millions of badges!"  
  
Ash had to laugh. "Well, I haven't got that many yet, but I have a few. Would you like to see?"  
  
Chiharu nodded briskly as Ash took a thin box out of a drawer by the bed. He lifted the lid and exposed over twenty badges. Chiharu looked at them with wonder, barely grazing her fingers over the smooth surfaces. Suddenly, her finger lingered on one of his earliest victories, something that looked like a perfect blue water droplet.  
  
"This one," Chiharu said, "is from my aunts' Gym!"  
  
"Yep. That was a rather...interesting win," he said, smiling.  
  
"Did you see my mom there?"  
  
Ash laughed again and said, "I battled your mom for this badge!"  
  
Chiharu had never looked so shocked. Ash could not contain his continuing laughter, but was concerned, too. Had Misty really not told her any of this?  
  
"You mean, my mom? Are you sure?"  
  
"Hey, my memory isn't that bad yet. All you need to remember about that battle is that I whipped her. Totally annihilated her. She never stood a chance. You got that?" He smiled.  
  
Chiharu nodded, still in disbelief. "So, was that where you met her?"  
  
Ash felt another jolt of shock, pained that she didn't know the answer to this either. "No... I uh, I met her a while before we came to Cerulean... The day I started out on my Pokémon journey, I believe."  
  
"Whoa, so she was with you until you came to her Gym? Then did she stay behind?"  
  
"No, actually... It's a very long story," Ash smiled sadly for Chiharu's sake. "Wouldn't you like to play a different game? I've got lots..."  
  
Chiharu was soon occupied with a board game littered with Pokémon things. Ash played along appropriately, but his mind was lost. He didn't understand why he should feel so awful about not being important enough to Misty for her to tell Chiharu about him. Why should she have done so? Perhaps he wasn't as huge a part of her life as he had thought. He just couldn't comprehend why he had been thrown aside like their history together meant nothing. In coming to the party, shouldn't Chiharu have been given some of the reason why Misty's presence was requested? Then again, maybe Ash didn't hold any position of significance in Misty and Chiharu's lives anymore. If this was true, he thought, he wasn't sure he could stand it. Despite the pain of finding Misty with a child by another man, despite the fact that she no longer wanted anything to do with him, Ash had grown to care for this little, innocent girl. It surprised him how easily he could admit to this, without feeling any resentment whatsoever. Chiharu was a precious gift, and he took great pleasure, pride even, in looking after her. Imagining the day that Misty would inevitably leave brought the most unbearable sadness he had ever experienced, for now he had two reasons to cry.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Raindrops created dripping shadows down Misty's face as she watched the day turn to dusk through the kitchen window. Amazingly, the rain had slowed somewhat and a few stray beams of sunlight had managed to peek through every once in a while. The sun was practically gone now, leaving the world with its usual dull, gray light. Soon there would be nothing, and they would all be lost in the blackness again.  
  
The electricity had still not been restored to the area and a candle was Misty's solitary source of light. Even the fiery flame seemed dull to her. Delia had taken the rare break in the storm to visit some neighbors and check up on things. Ash had advised her not to go, but Delia was often hard to control, especially by her own son.  
  
Thinking of Ash made her think of Chiharu, and she had seen neither for quite some time. Misty made her way out of the kitchen and into several of the other rooms, until she heard voices and giggling coming from one in particular. She slipped around the partially open door and found Ash and Chiharu sitting on the floor of Ash's old bedroom, cheerfully playing a game of some sort. When the pair saw her, they instantly stopped and stared back at Misty's stunned expression. Chiharu, not recognizing anything was the matter, quickly went back to her game and didn't give her mother's entrance another thought. Ash cleared his throat nearly inaudibly.  
  
Misty felt many emotions in the seconds that followed, but as usual, anger seemed to triumph over the others. "Ash," she started, "could I speak to you?" It amazed her how she could control herself in front of her daughter. "Alone," she added.  
  
"Sure," Ash replied, feigning imprudence. He got up, smiled at Chiharu, and left the room, waiting for Misty to follow him. Misty told her daughter they'd be right back.  
  
Misty herded Ash into the kitchen and he slowly turned to face her. Misty replayed the conversation she had wanted to have with him in her head, but she couldn't keep her mind on being reasonable. They stared at one another until she finally spoke.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked, rather desperately.  
  
"I don't know what you mean."  
  
"You do; you know exactly what I mean. Don't fake stupidity with me; I can always see straight through you!"  
  
Ash felt himself wanting to switch on the defensive. "Do you mean me spending time with your daughter? Is that what you mean, Misty?"  
  
"Oh, don't get smart. Why are you teasing her like this? She doesn't need more confusion in her life..."  
  
"More confusion? Are you kidding me? That poor kid is already so far gone... Don't you see? I'm not the one who's confusing her; you are!" Ash thrust his hand in the air and his voice rose with frustration.  
  
Misty looked at him with daggers in her eyes. She pushed him through the kitchen door, out into the humid night air. The rain was only drizzling, but both stood underneath an awning. "Do you want her to hear you? Do you want her perfect image of you to be spoiled?" she said firmly.  
  
"Don't start that. Maybe Chiharu needs someone to look up to; maybe it's not the worst thing in the world for me to spend time with her! As I remember it, we, at the very least, used to be friends. Can you blame me for wanting to be around you and your child?"  
  
Misty pressed her lips together hard and was silent. Why was she so angry that Ash was so wonderful around Chiharu?  
  
"I don't deserve it," she said with her eyes focused on the night sky. She felt tears stinging the corners of her eyes and she prayed that they stay there.  
  
"What?" was the only thing Ash could think of to say. He was so tired of not having the full story. "The entire time you've been here we've been dancing around each other as if there was something hanging over our heads that was too catastrophic to even think about. I know we have our...dysfunctional past, but if that's all it is, then we can work through all that! I'm sick of playing this game with you!" Ash ran his hand over his face and suddenly felt the need to scream.  
  
Misty looked at him, teary eyed. "You're right. You're absolutely right. I should have talked to you in the beginning, I know... But, it was just... It-it's about Chiharu... About her father..." She stopped and could bring herself to say no more.  
  
Ash waited as patiently as he could for as long as he could, but his anxiety got the best of him. "What? What about her father?" he asked harshly. "Why don't you start by telling me who he is and exactly why he's not here, with you and his daughter."  
  
Misty looked at him and tears streamed down her face. Ash could muster no compassion this time.  
  
"What? Can't you remember? Or were there just so many guys after me that..."  
  
He would always remember her face in the moment before she slapped him. Hurt, sad, guilty, furious... A million emotions displayed at once. He didn't know what had made him so angry in those few seconds of utter idiocy, but he supposed it had been the unresolved realization that Misty had moved on so quickly after her night with him, and that she now wanted to have a "chat" about her former lover. No matter the reason, he knew instantly that he would have given his life to put the words back into his mouth.  
  
Misty was surprised at the loud sound that echoed from her action. Her hand stung terribly, but she hoped Ash's face felt like fire. She now knew with complete certainty what her next words would be.  
  
"How dare you?" She spoke with a devastating deliverance. Distant thunder rumbled in the background. "Do you honestly think that I would have had the audacity or the courage to sleep with another man within years of your leaving? Do you think I had the strength to do practically anything without you after I had fallen so hard and been left alone as if I didn't matter? Do you know how it felt to be the girl you ran away from?"  
  
Ash looked at her and a million loose strings began to tie themselves together in his head. Misty leaned close to him with a stare that made his blood run icy cold.  
  
"You were my first and my only for four straight years, Ash. She's yours. Chiharu is yours." Her voice held no happy affection or relief. Only pain, sorrow, and desperation. Her plan had gone completely to hell.  
  
Ash didn't have a clue how to react. It felt impossible that Misty had even said the words. He didn't even try to speak; he knew he was incapable of producing sounds. He could think of at least a dozen things he could be feeling, but experienced none of them besides silenced shock. He wanted to look at her, to mull over all that she'd said, to comfort her, to do something, but he couldn't. Misty had anticipated many different reactions, but she found herself not knowing how to react either. It seemed they were again stuck, at a standstill in life, but this one could never be broken.  
  
Misty very slowly turned towards the door and whispered as she left, "I really think I should leave. With Chiharu. Tonight."  
  
Ash longed to reach out to her, but a part of him needed her to go. The storm seemed to be quieting; surely, she would be safe.  
  
Misty composed herself and held in the immense sob she knew would eventually come to her, when she was alone and ready to deal with her loss. Now, all she needed was to get away. She had accomplished her most taxing duty, but she felt almost no liberation and absolutely no contentment.  
  
She had her keys in her pocket; she would not make that mistake twice. She grabbed what she could from Delia's room and then headed off to gather Chiharu.  
  
"Chiharu, sweetie, we need to get going now...," she said as she barged into Ash's room. Misty searched the tiny space with a glance but was annoyed to find Chiharu not there.  
  
"Chiharu?" she called into the hallway as she left the room. Misty was startled to find her daughter absent from the kitchen, bathroom, living room... She slowly descended on the conclusion that Chiharu was not in the house at all...  
  
"Chiharu!" she screamed, now frantically, forgetting all else in her panic.  
  
Ash came bounding in at the sound of her, the yelling having broken his stupor. "What's wrong?" he asked urgently.  
  
Misty felt those unshed tears gather, now becoming ones of terror. She looked at Ash and said, "It's Chiharu! I can't find her anywhere!"  
  
Ash instantly began to look in the places Misty knew Chiharu wouldn't be found. The loud sound of sudden thunder crashing and ruthless rain brought her attention to the front door, which was wide open and banging against the frame. The storm had returned full force in a matter of seconds, and her baby was somewhere out there...  
  
The thrashing door grew faster and more intense as the winds maneuvered it, creating a beat that matched Misty's pumping heart.  
  
*~*~*~*~* 


	7. Extra Miles

When it Rains  
  
By--abbylicious  
  
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.  
  
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.  
  
Chapter Seven--Extra Miles  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Once, Misty vaguely remembered, Chiharu had gotten separated from her in a department store. She remembered the frivolity of having her child with her one minute and losing her completely in the next. It seemed so easy to take her eyes away just long enough for something to happen... Too easy...  
  
She threw open the door with great haste and ran into the wet blackness beyond. She couldn't see two feet in front of her, and her screams were only carried as far. The sudden rain had caused an extreme temperature change, and the icy water mixed cruelly with the tears on Misty's hot cheeks. Ash, sensing instantly what she planned on doing, had sprinted outside after her and grabbed her around her shoulders just before she stepped out of sight. She struggled, naturally, but her words were drowned out by the crashing thunder and wind. With some difficulty, he finally managed to shove her back into the house and shut the door behind them. He stood in front of it and prevented Misty from reaching the doorknob.  
  
"God, let me go! My baby! My little girl is out there! Chiharu! Please, please... Let me go..." Her obvious hysteria made Ash wonder if she also needed to be slapped back into reality. Instead, he took her in his hands and made her look straight into his eyes.  
  
"Misty... Misty, look at me. You can't help her like this. Just settle down and listen."  
  
"My daughter," she mumbled forlornly.  
  
Our daughter, Ash thought, but instead said, "Look, we will find her; we just need to stay calm, okay?"  
  
Misty started to protest but Ash hushed her. "Do you trust me?"  
  
She looked at him, more determined now, and nodded solemnly. Ash cleared his throat and slowly slid his hands off her face. "All right," he said as he headed for a closet, "she can't have gotten very far." He removed two sturdy raincoats and handed one to Misty without question. While he liked the idea of her staying here, safe, he knew without a doubt that it was out of the question.  
  
He reached deeper into the small closet and produced two heavy-duty flashlights. After checking the batteries, he handed one to Misty.  
  
"Thanks," she said, showing gratitude for much more than what he had just given her. He looked into her eyes and a silent decision was made to put on hold all of the important things that needed desperately to be discussed. All that mattered to both of them in that moment was finding their child, and neither would give up without safely bringing Chiharu home.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chiharu's trail left Pikachu feeling dizzy. Her prints were faint and quickly being washed away by the rain. Ash wondered if bringing his electric friend was really a good idea, but they could use all the help they could get. As it turned out, Chiharu had proven exactly how far she could go, since the search party now found themselves at the edge of a small wood almost a quarter mile from Ash's house. Misty shined her flashlight into the trees and threw the hood of her coat off in frustration. The rain rapidly began to soak her hair as she shouted, "Chiharu!" in anguish. The forest answered her with weak echoes.  
  
"Oh, God, did she really go in there?" Misty said aloud. Ash began to notice the panic rising in her voice and her inability to stand still.  
  
"Okay," Ash said after a moment, "I think you should stay here. It'll be easier to find my way back when I get to Chiharu and..."  
  
"Are you insane? There's no way you're getting me to stay behind! And do you think I'd let you go in alone? Ha! That's almost funny..." Misty felt her hysteria returning, but even that could not penetrate her stubbornness.  
  
Ash looked at her in defeat and knew he shouldn't have tried. He couldn't even muster enough anger to argue the subject, especially when he noticed Misty's fatigued appearance. In the light of the glowing flashlight beam, he couldn't help but be reminded of Misty and the way she resembled her younger self on the night of what he now knew to be Chiharu's conception. It occurred to him in that moment how much more meaning that event held for him now. If only he could reach out and tell her all the things he was thinking... Everything he wanted to say...  
  
Misty could tell in the way he looked at her what he was thinking about. She felt a pain in her heart that she had grown accustomed to, the pain of not being able to communicate to him what she wanted to say due to outside forces. She was frustrated and terrified and all she wanted was to have her little girl and Ash... Well, she didn't really know what she wanted from Ash; she certainly expected nothing of him. How could she after her betrayal? But in her deepest, most selfish thoughts, she wanted nothing more than to express her unrequited love for the father of her child and to finally put an end to the pain they both suffered. She needed to be reassured; she needed proof that everything would turn out all right...  
  
It took both of them a few oblivious moments to realize they had drifted rather close. Misty found herself crying relentlessly once again as the elements attacked the pair from all angles. Ash instinctively held open his arms and Misty fell almost helplessly into them. He held her with all his strength and wished her troubles away. She was weak; it didn't matter how convincing a façade she put up, Misty was feeling the repercussions of her confession and the apparent loss of Chiharu. Ash was experiencing his own set of unexpected emotions, but it felt impossible for him to control his physical actions. It was almost as if a secret, second nature had taken over. He slowly wiped her tears until he eventually could not help himself from holding her shaking chin in his hands and gently kissing the droplets away. Misty knew she had no strength left in her body to pull back, and she knew she didn't want to. Ash paused and looked at her with an emotion even she couldn't name.  
  
Carefully, almost afraid that he might move too quickly and make the moment disappear, Ash let his lips touch a teary raindrop on Misty's mouth. The water melted away as their skin touched, the warmth of it making Misty lightheaded. It was the most delicate kiss she had ever experienced, almost too perfect to break. She knew in that moment with absolute certainty that no other man would ever have the ability to kiss her like this. Her knees felt momentary weakness and she was glad to have Ash to lean into. It was a melancholy kiss, one of pure desperation. Ash and Misty became no better than two small children themselves, clinging to each other yet still greatly alone, lost in the storm, as they had been for so terribly long. Confusion and circumstance ruled their relationship, if only they could finally rid themselves of the trivial things that kept them despairingly apart...  
  
A deafening crack of thunder and another instantaneous flash of white lightning scared Misty so horribly that she nearly fell over in her haste to rid herself of Ash's embrace. Her mind was brought back to the essential task at hand, Chiharu. There was no time for guilt, or awkward silence, or discussion of any sort. She composed herself as best she could.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, I," Ash stammered.  
  
"This...is wrong," Misty replied with a shaky voice, although she believed nothing of the sort. "We need to go...now," she said as she collected her neglected flashlight and followed the eager Pikachu into the trees. Ash said nothing, but kept a careful distance from Misty as he demanded his mind to focus on finding Chiharu. He had not felt more disgusted guilt or dreadful wrongdoing in a very long time. How could he have let himself do that when helpless, innocent Chiharu was lost and they were losing precious seconds? How could he have put himself before the girl he now knew as his daughter? One sideways look at Misty told him she was thinking exactly the same thing. Ash cursed himself in advance in case anything had happened to Chiharu...  
  
A sound from ahead caught Ash's attention instantly. His stomach gave way to a horrible dropping motion as he realized that Pikachu was heading towards the ominous noise...  
  
He heard Misty's small yelp of terror as she came to where Pikachu had stopped, for she was still some feet in front of Ash. He sprinted the last few steps and looked over the edge of land where all three had stopped.  
  
The river, no real threat under normal circumstances, had swelled to dangerous proportions due to the excessive amounts of rain pouring into it. It occurred to Ash that Pikachu was indeed indicating that Chiharu's trail led somewhere into the water. In the pitch black of night, the river was only illuminated by the lonely flashlight beams and the occasional flash of lightning, making the search incredibly hard.  
  
"CHIHARU!" Misty cried, but her voice was failing her. Her heart filled with the dreadful possibilities as no answer came.  
  
Ash looked frantically along the banks and prayed with all his might for her to be okay... It was his fault if she were hurt, or...  
  
"THERE!" he screamed as he spotted a patch of what looked like Chiharu's shirt. Misty stumbled quickly over to his position and let out a small cry when she saw what he did. Chiharu lay curled up tight, hidden almost completely behind a protruding tree root on the other side of the riverbank. She didn't appear to be moving at all.  
  
Ash dismissed all other thoughts as he threw off his coat and let it drop to the ground. Misty grabbed his arm as he started to descend the steep embankment. Her tired eyes were filled with weary tears. She looked as though she were about to insist that she come along, but instead said, "You had better come back, with our daughter, Ash Ketchum, or I swear I'll... I'll...," but she could not think of an appropriate threat. Ash felt a little thrill at the first time she had referred to Chiharu as "our daughter", but trudged on, promising Misty his and Chiharu's safe return.  
  
In all of his years as a Pallet native, Ash regretfully noted, the river he now planned to cross had never been so high or so treacherous. It was as though the previous, gentle waterway had never existed at all. But Ash could not trouble himself with thoughts of this nature now, not when such precious, new-found treasure lay in peril at the other side. No, he had never been one to shy away in the face of danger; he had never given his somewhat rash actions a second thought. For, if he stood around thinking for too long, too much could happen that would be too far out of his control. He would always rather do something than to let the opportune moments pass him by. The river would only get worse, and Chiharu would only grow weaker if they waited, safely, for "professional" help to arrive. Ash had absolutely made up his mind, and there was no time for justification.  
  
Misty watched quite helplessly as Ash disappeared under the steep river edge. Her eyes began to dart nervously from Chiharu to Ash's shadowy figure. She realized suddenly that possibly the two most important people in her life were down there in that damn, cursed river and there was literally nothing she could do to help the situation. Every step of Ash's progress to the rapid-like water made Misty's heart beat a little faster and her intake of breath a little more hurried. Eventually, the dark night engulfed Ash and she could see him no longer. This, beyond all others, was the most nerve-wracking of all Ash's endeavors.  
  
"Ash!" she shouted with obvious panic, "Talk to me! What's happening?" She got as close to the edge as she dared and grasped the muddy grass firmly.  
  
"I can still see her," he replied, thinking also that keeping verbal contact was important. "I think I can still touch the river bottom over here." He didn't add that he figured he'd have to swim most of his way to reach Chiharu.  
  
"We should keep talking, so we'll know if something...happens." Her voice nearly cracked as she said the final word.  
  
Ash was now about waist-deep in the bubbling, white-rimmed water, trying to feel his way across the bottom as fast as he could. The current was strong here, but he knew it would feel a thousand times stronger when he would attempt to swim. Over the sounds of the pouring rain and the deafening, crashing waves, Ash almost couldn't hear Misty, whom he knew was shouting at the top of her lungs.  
  
"What do you want me to talk about?" He tested a rock with his foot and sank a little deeper.  
  
Misty pondered herself a moment. "Name all the Gym Leaders of Kanto, in the order that you beat them," she shouted into the wind.  
  
"Oh, Christ, are you serious?"  
  
"It's really not that hard. Come on, the first one's easy..."  
  
Ash took a deep breath and continued his tedious trek. The water was only to his shoulders, but huge, muddy waves kept bringing it higher. "Well," he started as he spit some of the dirty liquid, "Brock was first, in Pewter City."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"And then there was you, of course. In Cerulean. If you really...counted, I guess."  
  
"I'll ignore that, considering the circumstances." Misty looked in vain to the dark river, only briefly illuminated by random lightning. She could only guess as to where Ash might be treading. She felt helpless, but knew there was nothing she could do to save her tiny daughter and her very dearest friend.  
  
From his position, Ash could no longer see Chiharu, Misty, or anything beyond the roaring waters. It was eerie and cold and unimaginably wet and the only thing that kept him going was the thought of holding Misty and his daughter safely in his arms. After that, he had no idea what would happen and couldn't bother with thinking about it.  
  
Ash stepped a bit too confidently on a spot he thought would be rock, only to find himself ankle-deep and sinking in the muddy river bottom. His head went completely under and he gasped loudly in shock. Misty, who had been worriedly waiting for him to continue naming Gym Leaders and who now heard this, began shouting again.  
  
"Ash? Ash, are you all right?!? Please, please, Ash, answer me!" But her futile shouting was carried away in the conjoined roaring of the wind and water. She cursed herself for ever letting him go... She knew she'd jump right in after him if she didn't see or hear him soon...  
  
Ash resurfaced and found himself in the middle of the river, about 10 yards from where he was supposed to be. There was no hope of communicating with Misty now; he only hoped she'd be patient enough to stay put. The current was like nothing he had ever felt before; it was like trying to swim up a waterfall. The spot where Chiharu lay seemed to almost grow farther away, but he pushed those desperate thoughts into oblivion and convinced himself progress was being made. As he accomplished his every stroke, his body and mind were relentlessly reminded of their utter exhaustion. He could imagine Misty screaming, poised to jump, although he could not hear her any longer. The freezing water was turning his hands to ice; his body was numb. He kicked off his heavy shoes in disgust, as they were weighing him down. He hoped and prayed with all his might that Chiharu had never been this cold...  
  
Ash suddenly felt his stocking-ed foot brush against hard stone. He grabbed for the rocks with his hands before the waves could carry him away in surprise. He brought his weary, coughing, sputtering head out of the water and swung it around to find Chiharu. To his joy, Ash saw the small bundle, never having moved from her curled-up position. The protruding tree root that protected her was close, close enough for Ash to drag his frozen body towards without exerting the last of his efforts. He would need those to carry her, in the likely case that she could not walk.  
  
Ash shrugged off the exhaustion and replaced it with hope. Just a few more painful steps...  
  
Chiharu looked smaller and more vulnerable than he had ever seen, and she was unconscious. He bent anxiously over her body, and felt her tiny wrist for a blessed pulse. When he heard her labored breath and weak heartbeat, his rejoice was quickly followed by urgency. Her appendages were very cold and had a slightly bluish tint; Ash hurriedly gathered her in his arms and held her close to the middle of his body to keep her as warm as possible. All of their clothes were soaked. Ash held Chiharu's chilly face close to his own...  
  
From somewhere far across the endless river, Ash caught a fragment of a shouted calling. Instantly, his mind went to Misty, and he called immediately to her, "Misty! Misty, can you hear me?"  
  
Misty's heart leaped from her stomach to her throat as she saw the source of the voice vaguely in the mist. She could tell he had Chiharu.  
  
"ASH! I was so worried! Why didn't you answer me?!? Is she all right?!?" Her own voice was hysteric and filled with panic as she paced clumsily on the bank. Her face never dried.  
  
"She's not conscious, but she's still breathing, good pulse. How are you doing?"  
  
"I'm fine! I'm fine; we need to get her to a hospital!"  
  
The problem of having Ash on one side of the raging river and Misty on the other presented itself. Ash was the only one in a condition to think of a solution, although not by much.  
  
"The town is closer from this side; that's one good thing. I can get her there in ten minutes. Probably sooner. It's best if I just go now, before we waste any more time," Ash shouted at Misty's frantic figure.  
  
Misty felt even more powerless than before, but she knew that if she wanted to help Chiharu, Ash's plan was the best way. She looked forlornly at Ash and ached to cuddle her daughter...  
  
"Good," she choked, "that's...the best thing to do."  
  
Ash hesitated a bit and his heart went out to her. "Go back to the house; Pikachu will help you if you get lost, then come to the hospital, I-,"  
  
"GO ALREADY! Hurry!" she shouted angrily, although she instantly regretted it. Ash gave her a look she couldn't even hope to see and began running as fast and as gently as he could.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chiharu did not stir, even when Ash nearly tumbled coming out of the woods. He held her with all his might, adrenaline pumping in his veins and forcing his fatigued muscles to move forward. He checked often to see about Chiharu's condition, and prayed he would not have to perform CPR. She was obviously not one to give up easily, however, and her strength amazed and gladdened Ash. On and on he ran, running, running, running... Seeking out the small community hospital...  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Misty running also, leaving a tired Pikachu trailing behind. It was indeed a longer trip out of the forest from this side of the over-flown river, but Misty was even more determined than Ash, if it were possible. When finally the trees thinned, she had no intention of heading back to the house, and instead trudged straight for the heart of Pallet Town. She cursed the falling rain, oh, how she hated it... It and all water, forever and ever...  
  
Eventually, Misty took pity on the dutiful Pikachu and gathered it in her arms, just as Ash had done with Chiharu. She had no doubt that it also needed an emergency Pokémon Center visit, and, with fond thoughts of Ash's love for Pikachu, Misty made a slight detour.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Help! I need a doctor right away! I have an emergency!"  
  
A small, stubby nurse blinked in alarm at the man's drippy, distressed appearance. Surprisingly, the ER was almost completely empty; people were either staying safe or were unable to get to the hospital in the unbearable weather. All of the two ambulances were in commute.  
  
At the man's insistent yelling, the nurse's medical instincts took over and she quickly called the only doctor not out in the storm, helping others.  
  
As the nurse and doctor finally rushed over with a gurney, Ash laid Chiharu gently out on it and followed the pair.  
  
"Let's take her to an examination area," the middle-aged, male doctor said as he listened to Chiharu's heart. The small hospital was the biggest for miles, but it had no real "trauma" room, only curtained areas and rooms that had dual purposes.  
  
"Good breath sounds," the doctor continued. "Are you the father?" he asked Ash. Ash nodded absently.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Ash took a moment to process the question. "She...she ran out into the storm... We, I found her near the river."  
  
"How long has she been unconscious?"  
  
"I, I don't know..." Ash felt his stomach doing flips.  
  
"What's her name?" asked the nurse.  
  
"Chiharu."  
  
"And yours?"  
  
"Ash... Ash Ketchum..."  
  
"Right through here..."  
  
The room where Chiharu ended up was full of all sorts of medical equipment and tubes and plastics and bags that Ash couldn't even begin to recognize. They were checking her blood pressure, her pulse, her pupils...  
  
"Chiharu, can you hear me?" the doctor said as he prodded the girl.  
  
"BP's one-ninety over seventy," said the nurse.  
  
They were sticking needles in her arms and starting an IV... The dim lights made the white room seem gray, dark, and foreboding.  
  
The nurse, pushing him out now, telling him he would have to wait in chairs. She was no match for Ash, but she was much more adamant. In the end, she managed to get Ash out of the room and continue to help Chiharu. Ash watched through the tiny glass window, but could read nothing on the face of the doctor. When the nurse shooed him away one final time, Ash was left with only his terrible thoughts. Was he too late? Had she stopped breathing? Would they have to intubate her? Would she fall into a coma?  
  
Ash held his face in his hands and sat heavily in the uncomfortable plastic chair. Somewhere in the back of his mind, thoughts of Misty loomed, and he worried.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Misty ran through the doors of the Pokémon Center much the same way as Ash had run into the ER with Chiharu. The surroundings and circumstances were oddly familiar as a Nurse Joy popped out from behind the counter like magic. She clucked over Pikachu and looked at Misty in distaste as she escorted them into the back room.  
  
"How could you let it go out in such weather?" the Nurse asked as she smoothed Pikachu's fur.  
  
Misty looked at her with such hatred and utter annoyance that Nurse Joy shut her mouth and retained a meek disposition. Misty did not bother to apologize or explain.  
  
"How bad is it?" Misty asked with both concern and distain.  
  
"I think it's just over-exhausted. A good rest and some Potions will do wonders. It will need to stay overnight, of course." Nurse Joy busied herself with making Pikachu comfortable.  
  
Misty sighed with relief. "Wonderful," she whispered as she patted Pikachu's head affectionately. The little mouse cuddled her palm in gratitude.  
  
Nurse Joy looked at Misty's tattered, waterlogged appearance out of the corner of her eye. A musty smell invaded her nose. "Do you need...a place to stay tonight?" she asked with noticeable dislike.  
  
Misty contained her annoyance and made herself understand why the Nurse would think her a homeless bum. Instead of blurting out her snide response, Misty simply walked out, saying in her wake, "I'll be back later; I have somewhere I need to be."  
  
Nurse Joy stood gaping at her back, wondering greatly about the woman's sanity.  
  
*~*~*~*~* 


	8. Handsome Family

When it Rains  
  
By--abbylicious  
  
Summary--Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.  
  
Disclaimer--If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.  
  
Chapter Eight--Handsome Family  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ash stared absently into a puddle he had made on the dirty white tiles and watched the drip, drip of the water coming from his body. He hadn't moved from his bent-over position since the nurse had forced him out of Chiharu's room. His reflected face was distorted by the water; he pulled his hands over his eyes once again. In all the rush and urgency of getting Chiharu to the hospital, Ash hadn't had time to truly feel the pain of his labors, but now the aching, stinging feelings crept harshly over his body. His head was screaming with pain, and still his clothes were sopping. He peeked at his feet, and laughed unhappily at himself. His shoes were somewhere at the bottom of the river now.  
  
Ash's mind was just starting to push at something important when a noise startled him after many minutes of silence. The electronic, sliding doors seemed far too loud in his head. Ash leapt from his chair, ignoring his soreness, when he saw who it was that had entered.  
  
Misty ran and met Ash in the middle of the waiting area. Her pleading eyes were rimmed with red. "How is she?" she asked frantically as she groped Ash's arm.  
  
"I don't know. They wouldn't let me stay with her; she was still breathing when I..."  
  
Ash stopped speaking when Misty abruptly brushed past him and headed for the corridor where Chiharu had been taken. She left a soggy path in her wake.  
  
"Where is she?" she asked as she rounded the corner. Ash had no time to reply, however, because the nurse who had treated Chiharu came out of a room just ahead, almost crashing into the determined and frightened Misty.  
  
"I'm sorry, miss, you can't be back here, you'll have to wait..."  
  
"My daughter? Where is my daughter? Her name's Chiharu..."  
  
"You're the mother?" The nurse looked at Ash for assurance. "I was just coming to talk to you."  
  
"What is it? What's wrong?" Misty tried to look past the nurse.  
  
"Why don't we go and sit down, hmm?" The nurse put her hand on Misty's shoulder and began leading her down the hall, back to the chairs in the waiting room.  
  
"No, I'm sorry, but I think you should just let me see my daughter, please..." Misty looked recklessly for Ash, but he too was pushing her away.  
  
Eventually, all three managed to get back to the plastic chairs, though Misty refused to sit. She shuffled her feet with impatience and worry. The nurse took a deep breath. Ash looked at her name tag, and noticed her name was "Alice".  
  
"When you brought Chiharu in," Alice looked at Ash, "she was in the early stages of hypothermia. You got her here just in time. She's stable now, but she's still unconscious. We're just going to have to wait until she wakes up; we'll know more then. She's not out of the woods yet, but the doctor thinks she'll be fine."  
  
Misty let out a cry of relief and started pacing the room. "Can I see her?" she said with a teary smile.  
  
"You can both stay with her until she wakes up if you're quiet. She's been moved to a different room; I'll show you the way. Chiharu also suffered a hairline fracture to her left arm; you'll see the cast," she added.  
  
Alice took them back the way they had come and into a smaller hospital room. She held open the door and let them enter. Two chairs were set up beside a small table. Misty rushed to Chiharu's side and grasped her tiny hand in her own.  
  
"Hi, baby, mommy's here," she whispered through her tears while she stoked Chiharu's damp hair. Misty's heart filled with joyful remorse as she was finally reunited with her child.  
  
Alice stood back for a moment and then said, quietly, "I'd like to speak to both of you in the hallway, just for a second."  
  
Misty tried not to hear her, but Ash took her arm and led her away from Chiharu anyway. Once the pair had exited, Nurse Alice gently closed the door. She held some papers attached to a clipboard in her hand.  
  
"I'm going to need one of you to fill out these forms for the hospital." She looked Ash and Misty over, as if considering something. Then she said, "I'd also like to give the both of you a quick check-up, just to be safe."  
  
"Oh, I'm fine, really," Misty said as she automatically grabbed the hospital forms Ash was ignoring. She started to make her way back towards Chiharu's room.  
  
"I'm afraid I must insist. Neither of you look terribly healthy... I could do it right in your daughter's room; it will only take a few minutes," Alice persisted.  
  
Misty glanced at Ash's pathetic appearance and relented. "Okay, but only if Ash agrees to go first," she said as she looked stubbornly at him.  
  
Ash barely seemed to notice her, and missed her indirect concern completely. He nodded, since they were both looking at him, expecting a response, and then they were in Chiharu's room again. Misty went instantly back to her vigil at Chiharu's beside, and Nurse Alice instructed Ash to sit on a vacant gurney in the corner of the room. She listened to his heart, made him take deep breaths, took his blood pressure and his temperature... Ash stared blankly at the flowery wallpaper. His bodily functions and physical actions were running on some automatic clockwork, for his mind was certainly somewhere else. The importance of helping Chiharu was essentially over, and the absence of that duty left space to think in his brain... Too much space...  
  
"Well," Alice interrupted, "you've got a few scrapes and bruises, and you'll be deathly sore for a while, but as far as I can tell, you'll live."  
  
Ash nodded, as if any of it mattered.  
  
"I'm going to bring you something for the pain later. Miss," she turned to Misty, "it's your turn."  
  
Misty gently put Chiharu's hand back at her side and obediently went to sit beside Ash on the gurney. There would be no point in arguing the subject anymore.  
  
Misty felt her arm brush against Ash and was acutely aware of his body heat. Her closeness seemed almost to pain him. Perhaps she had bumped him in a tender spot by mistake... Or perhaps his disgust with her was beginning to show...  
  
"Now, inhale deeply... Hold it... Now, exhale," Alice instructed her. "Good. I think you'll be just fine also. You're all very lucky, I'd say. A bit wet, but we can fix that. I'll bring some dry scrubs back with me when I get Mr. Ketchum's Tylenol.  
  
"You can help yourself to coffee and food; the cafeteria is just around the corner and up the stairs." She looked down at Ash's bare feet and stifled a laugh. "I'll make sure to bring you some spare slippers as well," she nodded at him.  
  
"Thanks," he muttered, but could muster no humor to satisfy the well- meaning nurse.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Glancing absently at the clock, Misty noted that no one had spoken in the room for 45 minutes. She got up from her hospital chair and busied herself with gently tucking more blankets around Chiharu. Looking down at her daughter, Misty's tattered heart tore a little more. Chiharu resembled a drowned-out, physically abused child, with her pale, sickly face and her many tiny injuries. She is so small, Misty thought miserably.  
  
The doctor had visited a few moments ago, starting what were to be hourly checks. Misty had pleaded with him for more information while Ash sat in his stupor, counting the pink, nauseating daisies in the wallpaper.  
  
Misty sat down again and forced herself to finish the insurance forms the nurse had given her. She annoyingly began tapping her pen against the clipboard absentmindedly.  
  
The sound roused Ash from his trance and he met Misty's eyes from across the room, where he sat near the window. He stared at her until she stopped, then, surprisingly, he stood up.  
  
"I'm going to get some coffee," he said flatly. "You should eat something."  
  
"I'll eat when Chiharu eats," Misty replied resolutely.  
  
Ash's eyes were dead as he walked out mumbling something like, "Well, that's just...brilliant," dully.  
  
Misty heard Ash's shuffling slippers walking away and, a while later, his steps returning. She stared determinedly at Chiharu's heart monitor while Ash slumped in his chair.  
  
"You, um, you never asked about Pikachu," Misty said without looking at him.  
  
"What about Pikachu?" he said with all the concern he had left.  
  
"I took it to the Pokémon Center. It'll be fine..."  
  
"Oh. Thanks."  
  
Misty looked down at her hands. "I never thanked you...for what you did tonight...for Chiharu..."  
  
"Well," he started, "she is half mine." He laughed sadly at himself.  
  
His comment stung Misty's heart. She thought dreadfully about their previous conversations and actions. She knew a confrontation was inevitable... "About that," she said, "I hadn't really meant to...tell you...that way."  
  
Ash looked at Chiharu's sleeping head, then at Misty's ocean-blue eyes. He was exhausted, but even that could not keep him from the thoughts that swirled in his mind. In all that had happened, he hadn't had time to feel angry, or betrayed, or devastated, or happy, or proud, or cheated, or all the other thousands of emotions that now came upon him. Everything seemed to be mashed together and stewing... How long could he stand to keep it all under control?  
  
Ash breathed deeply. "Had you meant to ever tell me at all?" His efforts to keep the pain and anger out of his voice failed.  
  
Misty did not answer right away, and that was enough of a response for Ash. When she tried to speak, he overrode her.  
  
"You weren't going to tell me, not ever. My mother just roped you into coming to that stupid party and eventually, you broke down. God, Misty, why?! Why did you do this? I just..." His face was distorted, and he tried so hard not to cry...  
  
Misty felt shameful, fearful tears rolling over her cheeks. She could no longer look at Ash. "I didn't...I didn't want to ruin your dream! Ash, you had only just gotten what you'd always wanted..." As she said them, the words sounded bitterly weak.  
  
"You had no right to make that decision for me! What you did...what you did is unforgivable. I can't...I can't even begin to describe what this feels like..." Ash rubbed his hands over his aching forehead and tried to think of something that could convey the absolute treachery and devastation that enveloped him. The more he thought so dedicatedly about it, the less sense it seemed to make and the more confused he became. Misty, in her sinful ignominy, could not bring herself to speak either. Her tongue had caused enough trouble for a lifetime. It seemed, again, that Ash and Misty were caught in a standstill, a paradox of lies that never ceased. It made them both wonder how their lives together had turned from innocence to deception in just a few unaware moments so many years ago, how just one decision could determine the outcome of their paths. Both cursed themselves, yet both blamed the other, and still they felt an undefined connection and warmth with each other. The later was deeply buried, but still it lingered.  
  
Ash, however, deserved and desired his rightful anger. He let go of the thoughts that stormed his brain and spoke, wholly and truly, from his heart.  
  
"I don't know what to say. I can't start at the beginning, because I don't even know what that is. You and I... We began before we even knew we did. I can't claim to understand the things I felt for you. I think you felt them too, and we were just too young and naïve to deal with them logically." He looked at Chiharu sadly.  
  
"What we did... It was probably the worst decision we ever made. What we had... We ruined it all by sleeping together and being drunk enough to think it was romantic. No matter how hard I try to convince myself that it was right, in the back of my head, it will always be irresponsible. I ask myself how I ever could have done something that stupid, and then run away from it afterwards. I was a coward and I've never been more ashamed of that fact. I hurt you, worse than I'd ever done.  
  
"But, in the midst of all this damage, you at least found some comfort in the end. You had this...blessing that I can't even begin to comprehend. I, however, cowered in shame and thought that the reason you ignored me was because of what I'd done. I had my dream, yes, my goal, but I was completely empty inside. I was so alone... And I truly believed that it was all my own fault. If only I had been brave enough to stick by you... How much happier would I have been?"  
  
Misty wanted to defend herself more than anything, but for once had the patience to keep quiet.  
  
Ash continued, "Now, I feel even worse, seeing what I missed out on, seeing the void in Chiharu's life. All along, I thought I was the only one at fault, that if I had only stayed... How could you lie about this, Misty? This doesn't just affect you, this affects three people, including your daughter, whom you claim to love! I don't care anymore if you ever loved me, how could you do this to an innocent child? Do you understand the damage you could have inflicted on her? Is that really how you want to raise your daughter?"  
  
Both Ash and Misty were on their feet. Ash seemed to have run out of things to say, at least for the moment. He braced himself for Misty's tearful retort.  
  
"You don't have any idea what I went through..."  
  
"You never gave me the option of knowing!"  
  
"Shut up! You don't know! I was young and stupid and I thought you would hate me if I told you! I would rather have you be oblivious than to have you hate me! I could not live with myself if you hated me! You cannot comprehend how much I cared for you, how much I believed in your dream..." Misty felt involuntary tears spilling onto her face. She balled her hands into fists and tried to calm herself. She shook her head.  
  
"I'm not...I don't want to defend what I did. I was just...so confused... And I'm so sorry..." She looked at Ash with her last shred of desperation. "...I'm so, so sorry..."  
  
Ash's own tears stung his eyes at the sight of Misty. But his head was so fuzzy... He turned his back. "I just can't deal with this now. I still can't believe..." He started to walk aimlessly in the direction of the door. "I need to...go... Please, just leave me alone..."  
  
Misty held her messy self together until he was ten hurried steps down the hall. Then, she pressed her soggy face into Chiharu's blankets and wept silently.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"When are you off?" asked a tired looking janitor as Alice restocked supplies in a narrow hallway.  
  
"Four hours ago," she replied, "but there's no way for me to get home, and no way for anyone to get here to take over my shift."  
  
The aged janitor nodded his head and went back to his sweeping. The pair worked in comfortable silence until the man thought of something of interest.  
  
"How's that little girl doing? The one that was out in the storm? Strange name... Didn't look too good when I saw her..."  
  
Alice slid some gauze into a drawer. "Chiharu? We're still waiting to see if she'll wake up on her own. She's doing better, I think..." Alice hesitated before she went on; she had never been one to gossip, but that particular couple had been particularly loud...  
  
"The parents, Ketchum, I think, is their name... I heard them fighting about an hour ago. He left; I don't know where to. Doesn't look like a very stable domestic situation..." Alice bit her lip.  
  
"That's too bad," said the janitor as he began to head down the corridor. "Well, I hope the little one comes out alright."  
  
"Me too," Alice responded.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ash lifted his head out of the small pool of drool he had made on the cafeteria table. As he did so, he regrettably realized he had fallen asleep. For one hopeful moment, he imagined everything that had happened to be a bad dream, but the reality had never truly left him, even while he slept. He owed it to himself to try and think things through, to clear his head...  
  
His slumber had helped minimally to calm him, and he was thankful that his exhausted body allowed it. He thought carefully about the ill-fated argument with Misty. His mind was split between the yearning to be with her and the urge to cast her off. And how was he ever going to sort out this business of having a daughter?  
  
The cafeteria was dim and silent. The clock read 3:30 AM as the hands ticked away the seconds. In his journeys, Ash had learned to always examine both the positive and negative aspects of any situation. The negative details of his predicament had certainly already been screamed into existence numerous times, but after a bit of the shock and anger subsided, Ash bade himself a moment to ponder other feelings. Chiharu was a great kid. There was really no doubt in his mind that Misty had taught and raised her well. Before he had even known his unique bond to Chiharu, Ash had felt a deep affection for her. She was the perfect example of the good that had blossomed in the midst of his and Misty's deceptions, and Ash couldn't help but feel...almost happy. He was amazed that he and Misty had created something so wonderful, so innocent... And to finally be able to know that he had this with Misty... It was just too good to be true. Perhaps they had been stupid, but things could still work out alright, couldn't they? Maybe...  
  
Ash rubbed his eyes. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep again. Thoughts of such a complete happy ending were futile. It would take time for him to forgive Misty for the knowledge she stole from him. He dared not hope that she still had feelings for him... He thought of the time they spent together, of their...kiss...  
  
He looked down in agony at the hard plastic table. His heart wanted one thing, his brain another. He had often dreamed of a family with Misty, but reason told him to be angry... There was this whole, new, little person whom he hadn't even begun to know and a life that called for his presence... Would he ever be able to understand Misty's betrayal? Would Chiharu even accept him?  
  
Ash shoved these questions aside. He had come to at least one final conclusion: he vowed not to deceive Chiharu any longer. When she recovered stably, no matter the consequences, he would do everything in his power to put an end to his child's involuntary ignorance. Nothing could stop him from achieving this. The lies of the past didn't need to go on any longer; the secret was out in the open.  
  
Perhaps all three were, at long last, going to set foot on the path to recovery.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I know it may not look like it, but she is improving. You just need to give her some more time."  
  
Misty looked at the tired doctor. Her eyes were sunken, dark, and puffy, her hair was matted, and her skin was pale and unhealthy. Never had she looked more desperate and fatigued. "Please," she pleaded, "can't you tell me anything more?"  
  
He sighed. "I'm sorry; if I knew more, I would gladly tell you." The doctor studied the room. "Where is your husband, Mrs. Ketchum?"  
  
Misty's stomach turned to fire. "He's not my husband." She paused. "He went to the bathroom."  
  
"I apologize." He stopped uncomfortably. "I'll be back in another hour."  
  
Misty turned her back to him as he shut the door. She controlled the urge to yell and shout insults at him and slumped back into her well-worn, uncomfortable chair. This certainly wasn't his fault...  
  
She gently reached up and let her fingers graze Chiharu's cheek. Convincing herself to keep faith, Misty trusted in the doctor's word and smiled, as if doing so would reassure her daughter and bring her back to consciousness.  
  
A slight tapping at the door caught Misty's attention. As she went to open it, she wondered if the doctor had returned with more news...  
  
Her surprise was apparent when she found Ash's amber eyes staring at her. Her throat was frozen; there was no air with which to speak.  
  
Ash said what he had prepared in the hallway a few moments prior. "Could I please talk to you, just for a second?"  
  
He seemed much calmer than when he'd left. Misty nodded but didn't seem able to move without instruction. Ash looked at her questioningly.  
  
"Why don't we...go into the hallway?" He glanced unnoticed at Chiharu's sleeping figure as he said this.  
  
Ash watched Misty slowly creeping out of the room and into the shadowy hall. She seemed to be trying to make as little noise as possible. Together, they leaned against the wall, one each on the two sides of Chiharu's door. Surprisingly, Misty spoke first.  
  
"If you're going to apologize, don't. You shouldn't. I'm the one who should and will beg your forgiveness," she whispered. She could feel his eyes.  
  
"I won't excuse my anger. I am sorry I blew up in front of Chiharu, even if she was sound asleep." He paused and took long, deep breaths. "I just...can't understand why you did this, why you chose to be alone."  
  
"I didn't know I had a choice. I didn't think..."  
  
"You thought I was too young, immature, and gutless to take responsibility and come home. You thought I was so obsessed with becoming a Pokémon Master that I neglected everything else. You thought all of that was more important to me..." Misty braced herself for more anger as Ash paused again for breath.  
  
"You were right." Ash's eyes were glassy as he witnessed Misty's puzzlement. "I should have come back the second I was able to apologize for abandoning you, no matter if you were pregnant or not. I should have been able to realize how much you meant to me and reassured you that you could always count on me. Maybe if I had done that... I don't know. But what I want you to know is...if you had told me...about Chiharu..."  
  
Ash's eyes darted around the walls until they finally rested on Misty's face. "If you had told me... I would have come back to you in a heartbeat, not because you were in trouble and it was partially my fault, but because I...I loved you, you and only you; I would have come back for you..."  
  
Misty pursed her lips together and quickly wiped away fresh tears. Ash let his fall.  
  
"I...I..." Misty tried to speak, but Ash hushed her.  
  
"Please, don't say anything. What's done is done. We can't worry about what could have happened anymore. I...we...just have to move on, you know? We have...a daughter now; we have...things to work out..."  
  
Misty closed her eyes. Her idiocy dawned on her, paid-in-full, and she realized what a horrible black mess could have been avoided, if only she had known...  
  
Ash looked at her pain-stricken face as one last thought crept across his mind. He looked at his feet. In a voice barely above a whisper, he said, "About...tonight... In the forest, before we found Chiharu, when I...when we..."  
  
Misty's head filled with the images of their kiss as Ash stumbled to explain it. She nodded with absolute recognition.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have assumed you would...want that. I guess I was just..." But his brain stuck to the feeling of her deliberately returning his gesture...  
  
Misty's eyes wandered up until she found him. She knew he still felt angry and hurt, but there was something else in his expression that she had glimpsed briefly a few times before, a feeling that she herself had felt whenever they seemed to be at the edge of something real...  
  
"Don't," she started, "apologize for that." His stare was forcing her to take breaths more often.  
  
Ash held Misty in his eyes for what must have seemed a very long time, and understood what she was trying to say. He was almost afraid to think about it, but he understood...  
  
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Ash smiled ever-so- slightly, and felt Misty smiling carefully back at him as she slid back into Chiharu's hospital room. He followed a few moments later, and quietly carried his chair across the room to sit beside Misty. This gesture was accepted as natural and went unnoticed.  
  
For a long while, they sat in silence. Misty flipped inattentively through a magazine and Ash was content with just studying Chiharu's gentle breathing, occasionally sneaking glances at Misty, the way he remembered doing so long ago...  
  
Neither noticed, for a few suspended seconds, movement from the slumbering daughter, as her eyelids fluttered, followed by a tiny, breathtaking moan...  
  
*~*~*~*~* 


	9. Where You Left Me

When it Rains

By-abbylicious

Summary-Misty gets pregnant after a night of drunken mistakes, but Ash doesn't know he's the father. After almost five years apart, Ash is a returning Pokémon Master and Misty is still a strong-minded woman, plagued by the past. They meet again at Ash's homecoming party, where things begin to fall apart.

Disclaimer-If I owned any part of Pokémon, not only would the characters develop major psychological problems, but it probably would have been canceled years ago.

Chapter Nine-Where You Left Me

There had been no dream, not even something one could call a nightmare, only deep, endless, engulfing blackness. It was as if an invisible blanket of shadows had been suffocating her, preventing her from being reunited with the light of consciousness.

She had known they were there, had felt their devoted presence. The darkness seemed to break away in layers, each one bringing her closer to those watching over her. She was so sleepy, but she wanted so badly to be awake again... When she finally forced her heavy eyelids to open, she pushed a sound of distress out of her throat, hoping someone would help her out of this dark nothingness...

Everything seemed to happen surreally, as if the world were moving in slow motion. Misty's magazine fell to the floor as she stood; Ash forgot his stiffening joints as he joined her at Chiharu's side.

Misty swept her daughter's deep brown hair away from her eyes as she begged, "Chiharu? Chiharu, sweetheart, it's mommy; can you hear me?" When the small girl groaned in response, Misty turned to Ash. "Go get the doctor, quick," she demanded as he sprinted for the door.

Seconds later, the weary physician was shining a thin light into Chiharu's pupils as she readily tried to bat it away. "Mommy," she mumbled anxiously.

"It's okay, honey, I'm right here; it's all going to be all right..." Misty held tightly to Chiharu's hand.

"Okay, Chiharu," the doctor said, "I need you to look at me now, please... That's it. Now, follow my fingers with your eyes..." He held his hands out and moved them while Chiharu completed the test. "Okay, good," he said. "Now," he continued as he gently felt Chiharu's temples, "tell me if it hurts when I do this." He moved his massaging over her entire head and mentally recorded her answers. Next, he asked her to tell him what year it was, which she answered correctly. After that came a reciting of the alphabet, followed by one last prodding to check for any possible nerve damage. When the doctor smiled discreetly at Ash and Misty, they felt immensely relieved.

"Well, Chiharu, you are a very lucky young lady. Your stats are looking good, and your concussion is very minor. You did do a little number on that left arm of yours, but we'll remove that cast in about six weeks," the doctor reported.

Chiharu was actively looking about the room, still in disbelief to have found herself in a hospital. She was tired, but she was fighting it off. She looked at Misty's face and said, "I'm thirsty," in a faraway voice. Misty let out an adoring, relieved laugh at her daughter's request and pressed her lips to her forehead in a loving kiss. Chiharu's voice seemed the sweetest sound in the world to her... Thinking of her gentle, beautiful daughter safely in her arms again made her vow ever stronger to never let her life be threatened again...

Misty began filling a plastic cup with water as the doctor straightened up and spoke softly and directly to Ash and Misty.

"She's going to be tired for the next few hours," he indicated Chiharu, "and she'll probably drift in and out of sleep. We'll need to keep her longer for observation, but I think she'll make a full recovery. Also, as her memory and thoughts become clearer, she'll begin talking more often and be more curious about what happened to her. I'll give her some painkillers before I leave."

Misty quickly settled Chiharu with her water and turned to the doctor. "Thank you," she said, "so much." He smiled back at her and left the family to reunite in private.

"Chiharu, Chiharu, sweetie?" Misty choked on her watery words as she watched Chiharu's eyes flutter and squint. "You're okay honey; you're just fine and safe... Oh God..." Saying the words more for her own benefit than for Chiharu, Misty lovingly touched her daughter's forehead ad petted her hands and kissed her teary, salty face again and again. Chiharu was becoming more active and awake as things transpired.

"Mommy," Chiharu mumbled, "mommy, I fell! I fell in water! A big, lots of water...," she exclaimed as her words turned into a tiny cough.

"Shh," Misty replied soothingly, "it's okay Chiharu, sweetie; don't talk now... I'm so glad you came back to me...," she whispered. She nuzzled her daughter's cheek and felt warm tears fall from her smiling eyes. After a few moments, she lifted her head.

"Honey, why don't you just try and get some rest? The doctor said..."

"I'm not sleepy...," Chiharu protested as her eyes drooped. "I don't want to go to sleep again!" There was real fear in her voice.

Misty opened her mouth to reassure her, but, surprisingly, Ash broke his silence and stepped in.

Stooping close over the girl, he said, "Chiharu, this will be a different kind of sleep. You'll wake up in a few hours and feel much better. And you'll have nice dreams..."

Chiharu focused on Ash as if just realizing he was in the room. Misty actually looked upon him in a similar manner. Chiharu's brain was so fuzzy and tired, and Ash's words seemed so comforting... Just the way his voice sounded... She didn't have enough will power to refuse his persuasion.

After cooing something incoherent, the little girl let her body fall limp into a deep slumber. Misty smiled gently and stoked her head to help her in the journey. Ash stood on the opposite side of the bed and watched them both in silence as the minutes slowly passed. Gazing upon mother and daughter, reunited, his heart filled with an almost painful warmth. The pair had survived so sufficiently and independently without him that he was forced to wonder how his presence would upset the balance now. His head filled with terrifying thoughts of Chiharu rejecting him, disliking him, of Misty not...needing him to help raise their daughter... And who was to say he was even capable of being a parent? Just look what had happened in the first few hours of his revelation! Chiharu had nearly... He could not even bring himself to think it! He despaired to think what might have happened if he and Misty hadn't found Chiharu when they did...

Looking down at this girl, this tiny, ever fragile life, his daughter, he became overwhelmed with the thought of failing her, losing her... Oh, how he had come to love her! It seemed impossible to love someone so much after having known her only a few days, but he loved his little girl, his little Chiharu... And if he couldn't be a part of her life, if things turned out so horribly wrong, he honestly felt his heart would fall to pieces...

He was sure Misty didn't notice his timid hand gently grasping Chiharu's or the single tear that descended his cheek. She was undoubtedly lost in her own similar thoughts. After a few more silent moments and a deep, discreetly sorrowful sigh, Ash's boyish habits took over and he could stand the absence of talking no longer. He pushed the depressing thoughts to the back of his head for later use. Afraid to wake Chiharu, he made motions with his hands to Misty to move into the hallway. He caught a slight, gratifying smile on her lips as she nodded and gave Chiharu a soft kiss farewell.

After swinging the door closed, Ash and Misty stood facing each other in the hallway. They stared at one another until smiles broke out uncontrollably on their faces. Chiharu's recovery had made for an excellent relief of tension for both of them, especially since nearly all of their cards had now officially been laid on the table, even if it had been done quite messily.

Ash shoved his hands into his pockets and spoke first. "You, uh, you haven't eaten in a while... You haven't left Chiharu's bedside since we got here."

Misty looked down at her feet. "Yeah, I know. I couldn't leave her," she said confidently.

"Well," he began as he took a step closer to her, "why don't you take a break for a while? Head down to the cafeteria for some coffee." She looked moderately guilty. "Hey, I can hang out with Chiharu for a while. If you don't eat, you'll pass out, and then both my girls will be hospitalized..." The words slipped out before he could help himself. Misty's eyes darted around the floor in discomfort as Ash tried to find something to do with his hands. He settled on running them through his hair. Eventually their eyes met accidentally, and they began laughing nervously. Misty felt like she was 13 again, and yet, her expression changed when she glanced at Chiharu's door. Ash noticed her dilemma and forgot his embarrassment. He touched her shoulder and was surprised when Misty melted easily into his embrace.

"She's okay, she's going to be just fine...," he whispered in her ear. He couldn't help noticing the way her hair smelled like rain and his mother's shampoo.

"I know. I know!" She fought tears as she tried to convince her stubborn self. "Okay," she relented as she turned to face him. "I'll go and come right back."

"Good." His eyes slowly explored her face as both recalled stormy kisses... Misty seemed disappointed as she slid out of his arms. Before she walked away, however, Ash caught her smiling figure delicately by the wrist.

"Misty?"

"Yes?" she replied, breathlessly.

"Don't forget to try the fat-free jell-o cups. I hear they're excellent," he said with unfaltering seriousness.

Misty released an exasperated sigh and hid her laughter as she walked away from Ash's smirk.

After making sure Misty had retreated in the direction of the cafeteria, Ash had returned to Chiharu's side and become entranced by her heart monitor. It was soothing to follow the rhythmic beep, knowing it reflected the sounds of Chiharu's heart. However, this activity left his mind to wander, and he could not prevent himself from revisiting his thoughts.

He replayed the events of the past four days and tried to make sense of it all. He hadn't even dared to hope Misty would come to his "surprise" party, and just seeing her again had been enough of a shock. Nothing in the world could have prepared him for the knowledge of being a father.

In his years away, Misty had become the only woman he could imagine himself with. Everyday he had cursed his cowardice and prayed for any sort of contact with her whatsoever. And even then, he was taunted by the uncertainty of her feelings for him. Did she really love him at all? He had become so sure of how much he cared for her... That made thinking she had a child by another man almost unbearable. But even then, he could not convince himself not to fall for her again! He had been delighted in Chiharu's company before he knew of her true paternity. This fact was probably the reason he felt less anger now towards Misty's dishonesty. It was still hard for him to understand and he felt he could weep for days over the loss of so many years with his daughter, but the urge to start a relationship with Chiharu in the present was stronger than his grief. However, he really didn't know where to go from this point. His and Misty's feelings were still greatly up in the air and he was unclear as to what she wanted. A part of him was ready to just propose to her the second she walked back into the hospital room, but the rational Ash said that was not the way to go. This was something delicate, that needed to be taken slowly, and he absolutely could not think of him and Misty. He couldn't let himself make plans like that when there was such a huge chance they would be for naught. If he was to be perfectly honest with himself, he had no concrete idea how Misty felt about him and she had no idea how he felt about her. The concept was devastatingly hard for him to accept, but he had to face the reality of continuing to live a life separate from Misty...

Suddenly, Ash turned to the door.

"Excuse me, sir," an unknown woman said as she entered the room, "there's someone on the telephone for you." Ash looked at her questioningly.

"You can take the call in here, if you'd like...," she commented as she motioned towards the phone in the corner. Ash nodded and dismissed her.

He had hardly put the receiver to his ear and said hello before the worried voice of his mother broke through the line. After a few moments of unintelligible yelling, Ash was able to explain what had happened. However, his recount of events scarcely seemed to put his mother's mind at ease.

"Chiharu is in the hospital? Is she all right! What is her condition? Is she conscious? What's going on? Where's Misty? Are you hurt?"

"Mom, please, slow down... Chiharu's doing fine, Misty's fine, we're all fine... It was scary for a while, but everything's under control..."

"Oh my goodness... Darling, I will be there as soon as I can... I'm at the makeshift severe weather shelter and we're just trying to get organized now... They say the worst of the storm has indeed passed, though."

Ash looked outside and noticed for the first time that it had stopped raining. "Mom, you really don't need to come. By the time you even get a chance, Chiharu might be ready to be released..."

Dear Readers,

I'm indeed truly sorry to admit that this is as far as I ever got with this story. I recognize and appreciate all the wonderful reviews I received, and I feel terribly guilty about not providing you with an ending. However, I haven't looked at this story for nearly a year, and it would be dishonest to tell you I'll ever try to finish it. The truth is, while Pokémon will always hold a dear place in my heart, writing about it now just bores me to death. I'm very sorry to everyone I may disappoint. After so long an absence, I felt that my faithful readers deserved some sort of closure, however weak and unsatisfactory it may be.

However... I'm aware that there are many very distinguished authors at FanFiction. Quite a few of these individuals may have better ideas for an ending to my story than I could ever think up. Now, I'm not offering a contest or anything, but if YOU would want to write an ending, or a continuation even, I would gladly give you credit for it. My creation would be yours to mold... If you feel like it, you could type something up and send it off to my email address as an attachment. I would post all "entries" under the original author(s) name(s), or, if you're uncomfortable with that, we can work something else out. Hell, if you're really good, you can have the rights to the whole thing and re-post it under your penname. But this little idea is only an option; if no one replies to it, that's okay. I just thought maybe someone out there might enjoy this opportunity...

Remember, I'll take all endings/continuations as attachments at my email address. Comments, rants, bashings, and praise are all welcome there as well!

Please accept my sincerest apologies once again...

Love,

abbylicious


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